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Books of Wonder is ecstatic to host the 2021 Caldecott Medal Celebration! We will be joined in conversation with the medalist and all the honorees for this wonderful picture book panel.

We will be joined by 2021 Caldecott Medalist MICHAELA GOADE for We Are Water Protectors, and 2021 Caldecott Honorees COZBI A. CABRERA for , NOA DENMON for A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart, CINDY DERBY for , and YUKO SHIMUZU for .

Join us on CrowdCast on Sunday, March 21st at 1pm EST to celebrate these outstanding picture books.

For all Books of Wonder events, we expect all participants to maintain a family friendly atmosphere, inclusive of respect and fairness. Anyone who violates this standard of behavior, including engaging in any form of harassment, inappropriate language, or disruptive conduct, will, at our discretion, be immediately removed.

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2021 CALDECOTT MEDAL CELEBRATION! - Books of Wonder

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Books of Wonder is ecstatic to host the 2021 Caldecott Medal Celebration! We will be joined in conversation with the medalist and all the honorees for this wonderful picture book panel. We will be joined by 2021 Caldecott Medalist MICHAELA GOADE for We Are Water Protectors, and 2021 Caldecott Honorees COZBI A.

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Do you Want to Build a Caldecott Club? Reflections on our 2020 Mock Caldecott

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Do you Want to Build a Caldecott Club? Reflections on our 2020 Mock Caldecott

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There are so many excellent, beautiful picture books published each year, so selecting books for Caldecott Club is a struggle and a joy. I chose books that I thought showed the genius of picture books, using a range of media, formats, structures, and content. I also wanted to share books that kids would enjoy, that spoke to their interests and personalities, considering the criteria that the book "displays respect for children's understandings, abilities, and appreciations." I also tried to be mindful of Christine Taylor-Butler's research about gender inequity in the Caldecott award and aimed to provide a range of representation in the books we discussed. Listening to her essay and interview on the Kidlitwomen* Podcast was very eye-opening. I tried to do a mini-audit with the books that I selected to consider whose voices were being shared in our discussions. I keep thinking about how when you study a book closely, you become connected to it. When I see the books we've discussed in our Caldecott Clubs in the library, I see the children who discussed them & said brilliant things. So the books I spotlight should be good ones, ones that help them discuss and question the world around them, see things in new ways, open up conversations, amplify their voices, and ensure they see themselves reflected in the books we examine. I've been thinking a lot about the Diversity in Children's Books 2018 Infographic as we do this work.

Citation: Huyck, David and Sarah Park Dahlen. (2019 June 19). Diversity in Children's Books 2018. sarahpark.com blog. Created in consultation with Edith Campbell, Molly Beth Griffin, K. T. Horning, Debbie Reese, Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, and Madeline Tyner, with statistics compiled by the Cooperative Children's Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison: http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/books/pcstats.asp. Retrieved from https://readingspark.wordpress.com/2019/06/19/picture-this-diversity-in-childrens-books-2018-infographic/.

I've also been thinking a lot about the recent Reading While White post, "Newbery, Caldecott and Perspectives on Excellence" by Megan Schliesman, which I think can inform our work doing mock discussions too.

The books I selected for our 2020 Caldecott Club are:

The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach

How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

The Little Guys by Vera Brosgol

Carl and the Meaning of Life by Deborah Freedman

Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel

Another by Christian Robinson

Music for Mister Moon by Philip and Erin Stead

When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market by Raúl the Third, Colors by Elaine Bay

My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero, illustrated by Zeke Peña

At the Mountain's Base by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Weshoyot Alvitre

A Big Bed for Little Snow by Grace Lin

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Daniel Minter

The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander & Kadir Nelson

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison

Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez, illustrated by Jamie Kim

The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S. K. Ali, illustrated by Hatem Aly

During each session, we reviewed what the Caldecott award was and what makes a good picture book to develop common kid-created language to use to evaluate the picture books. I'd bring out a box of books, like the grown-up committee receives, and one of our kids would open it and help hand out the books. We then did picture walks through each of the books and voted for their top two favorites that would go to our voting party. I felt called to action after reading Best Friends by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham where young Shannon doesn't see herself reflected in the texts they're studying so she doesn't think she could be a writer. I shared photographs of every author and illustrator, so kids could see the creators behind the works we studied and see themselves reflected.

To plan for our discussions, I did a deep dive into the research about each book, reading reviews, articles, and interviews, listening to podcasts (often multiple times), watching videos and webinars, and exploring Twitter conversations. I immersed myself in the books, writing copious notes and questions, so I could integrate the information into the discussion based on what the kids said. Often the kids would ask a question or share an opinion that would provide the perfect opportunity to add information about the illustrator's craft, process, or reason for telling this story. I worked hard to be equally effusive about every book so the children could form their own perspectives about them. (The same goes if you don't love a book as much as the kids. It's their award, after all.) I think it's really important if you're hosting a mock award program to center kids' voices, which will support their visual literacy and critical thinking. Often a question will provoke a much richer discussion than a lecture from me about what the book means. Before Caldecott Club began, I finally read Megan Dowd Lambert's brilliant book, Reading Picture Books with Children: How to Shake Up Storytime and Get Kids Talking About What They See, which offered many new strategies (and reinforced the ones I was already using) to do this important work. I know I improved our picture walks and discussions because of this book. I highly recommend it!

I had no idea that when I walked in (feeling harried and late) to the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) Pre-conference, I would chance upon beloved children's author, Kyle Lukoff, who has written one of my favorite books, When Aidan Became a Brother, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita. I made my painfully shy self introduce myself to Kyle and let him know how much I loved his book. Fast forward to September and Kyle reached out to let me know that he'd be in town and was available to visit our library. We had selected When Aidan Became a Brother for our Mock Caldecott, so the timing was perfect. We had a fantastic Junior Justice League session where I shared When Aidan Became a Brother and we made posters and clouds to welcome Kyle to our library. We also discussed it in Caldecott Club, so many of our kids had several chances to explore Kyle's lovely and literary writing and Kaylani's gorgeous digital illustrations.

And then Kyle came to visit our library and I tried to unsuccessfully remain calm. Kyle shared a read aloud of When Aidan Became a Brother with our kids, sharing a scanned version of the book at the same time, helping make it more accessible for our group. (I totally stole this idea to scan in the book for subsequent Caldecott Clubs, so thanks, Kyle!) He answered their many, many questions patiently - and with the expertise from his many years working with children. (Seriously, I wish I could just hang out at his school library and learn from him.) Yes, I did borrow some of his management techniques to use with our group, and of course they worked. (Did I use his clap twice strategy with middle schoolers during zombie night last week? I sure did.) Our kids were particularly fascinated by how Kyle didn't talk with Kaylani Juanita in the process of making Aidan but communicated through their editor, Cheryl B. Klein. Kyle showed us some behind-the-scenes secrets of things that changed in the revision process - and beautiful details that Kaylani added in her illustrations. After our whirlwind conversation, the kids had the chance to do a drawing activity that Kyle shared where they could decorate their dream room. The independent children's bookstore, Booked, kindly joined us to sell Kyle's books, which he signed for our audience. He even signed a super special Caldecott Club copy, which I'll raffle during our Youth Media Awards celebration. I know I will always remember this wonderful experience with Kyle. And I'm not the only one. I overheard one of our Caldecott Club kids explaining our program to a friend and he shared a joyful recap of our visit with Kyle, expressing pride in knowing the author of one of the best books. Connecting with children's book creators can be life-changing - and I'm so grateful for this opportunity. Thank you, Kyle!!

I added an extra session to our program series to enable us to review the books before our party. But our kids had other ideas and I wanted to honor their requests. They were eager to learn what it was like to be a grown-up member of the Caldecott committee. I reached out to Sarah Bean Thompson, who I served on the Odyssey committee with, and who had been on the 2016 Caldecott committee, and she kindly agreed to Skype with us. I had the kids write down questions for her beforehand and Sarah did her best to answer all of their pressing questions. Well, the questions that she could answer. Sarah also beautifully validated the fantastic work we've been doing in our program. She told us that she's read the kids' comments in our blog posts, and our discussions are just like the grown-up committee - as we find a book that rises to the top.

She told us that one of the cool things about the Caldecott committee was that many of the people had Caldecott clubs and take the feedback from the kids and share what they said. I truly appreciate Sarah demystifying the Caldecott selection process and empowering the kids' experiences as evaluators. After our Skype session, we did an activity that the kids had been asking for: we made art! I set up several stations with art materials related to the medium that the authors used such as watercolor, collage, found books, and colored pencils. They were encouraged to make their own version of the book covers with the art supplies, and naturally, the kids gravitated to making their own original watercolor art. I played the Hair Love short film while we made art, which really is the perfect soundtrack for creativity. It was really fun to have a more chill session that was based off the kids' interests.

The Party: What Worked and What Didn't

Ms. Gaby and Ms. Lisa, our newest YTS staff member, were instrumental in setting up and running this program. I could not have done it without them! I learned so much from last year's party, as well as Mr. Brian's Evanston Public Library Voting Party. While I had the kids introduce the books last year, which has its benefits, I decided that I needed to share them myself in order to manage the program better. (In the future, it would definitely be fun to have other staff lead these discussions, too.) While it was a bit of a rocky transition into the program; we ended up having more friends than expected and had to do some table shifting. But once we started our discussion, the kids were incredibly engaged and attentive. (You can read the entire recap here.) I had scanned in all of the books into PowerPoint, so everyone could see the pages at the same time - and of course, the kids were super interested in doing close readings, telling Ms. Gaby and Ms. Lisa to move the slides back and forth. Let me pause there - the kids led us in close readings, not me. They had so much experience during our picture walks and discussions that they had the confidence to apply these strategies and model them for others. Throughout our discussion, I connected what they said to the Caldecott criteria, helping amplify how their positive or negative comments related to our goal to select the most distinguished picture book. Each discussion began with what we liked about the art, following the CCBC book discussion guidelines. Then, we shared what didn't work about the art. (Next time, I would also add what Mr. Brian did and ask if anyone had a convincing argument for why we should choose the book for our Caldecott winner.) During our discussion, I added several movement breaks in our discussion during our Voting Party and it made a huge difference as I could see the kids' energy waning. I learned quickly that 11 books is TOO many to discuss at our Party, which I communicated during the program to the kids, committing to improving this for the future Caldecott Club. I think 8 books really is the ideal number of titles to discuss within a 90-minute program, especially when you need to ballot, tally, and celebrate.

At the end of the discussion, the kids were given ballots to select their 1st, 2nd, and 3rd favorite books. Once they completed it, they were given an evaluation form to give us feedback and when they completed that, they got a prize bag. While I worked on doing math with the ballots, Ms. Gaby and Ms. Lisa hosted our raffle with the kids, which was so incredibly kind of them since I know it was super stressful. I think kids just had too many choices of things they could pick - and there were so many kids there to pick to get prizes. Next time, I'm definitely leaving out the raffle at our party and saving it for our Youth Media Awards viewing party. Still, I know the kids really loved the raffle, so I'm grateful that they handled it for me. I'm also grateful for the wonderful art-themed prizes that Dr. Shira Roth gifted to our group, encouraging our young friends to create original art. In the future, I am going to do what Mr. Brian does and leave the room to do the maths with the ballots and then return with the results. Staying in the room meant I looked available to talk about the raffle, which I was not. Once I had figured out the math, I announced the winners, which was very exciting and loud. We then made a quick "the call" video for our winner, Vera Brosgol, author of The Little Guys, which Ms. Emily kindly filmed in the midst of all the chaos. We then distributed Calde-cookies, which are exactly what they sound like, and are delicious. We then had to clean up and set-up for the next program, but many kind people helped with the transition. Thanks, friends!

Seeking Excellent, not Perfection

I spend hours preparing for Caldecott Club, trying to imagine every unexpected comment or situation, when it's clearly impossible. When things do not go as planned, I tend to overthink what I could have done differently or what I did wrong. I am trying to reframe my approach to programming (and let's be honest, life) to focus on excellence, not perfection. I can always get better at all the things - and learning from mistakes is how that happens. A program series is a fantastic place to try new things and see what works better. I have changed my program set-up repeatedly, beginning with vertical rows of tables, which didn't work because kids had their backs to me and each other, then a large horizontal row of tables, which worked better but the kids couldn't see each other, to finally a large conference table set-up, which magically worked better and enabled everyone to engage with each other. We also moved to the other side of the room that had the TV monitor, which made the picture book images much clearer and easier to see. I also added movement breaks into our program to stretch up and down and get our wiggles out after we discuss two books. I think it's also important to let kids opt out of this experience and find ways to make it accessible for kids. Just taking a deep breath in and out can help us all relax and prepare ourselves to continue the program. These movement breaks were also essential for some of the management issues I had during this program.

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Caldecott Club is one of the most school-like programs I host, so it can be challenging for the kids when they've already spent a whole day at school. I worked to better communicate my expectations with the kids throughout the series, which included raising our hands, staying in our seats, and listening to each other. Kids are always able to decide to leave the program if they determine it's not for them, which I think is an important choice to have. There's no pressure to stay in a program they're not interested in. At the same time, I know that children are children - and a 90-minute program is HARD! (I can pretend that it's a 60-minute program, but let's be honest, it always goes until 5pm.) So I tried to make the environment, structure and organization of the program a better fit for them. For some sessions, I selected books that were too long to give them equal time, so I know I need to plan my pairings better so we don't feel rushed in our discussion. I have to accept that we may not be able to explore every spread in detail in order to move forward in the program and keep the kids engaged. Transitions always pose a challenge for kids (and grown-ups, let's be honest), so I want to find better ways for them to come into the program and switch between the discussion, voting and closing. I think if I create better, clearer procedures, it will be better for them. I also think it's okay for a program to be a little chaotic as long as everyone's safe and having fun - and clearly, I need to resist my urge to control everything. I know it's important to be human with young people and honestly say that I don't know things, which of course, I don't, and follow up later with the information - as well as show I'm learning every day how to be their librarian. Hosting this program is an act of humility - and I will always learn more each time.

Creating a Calde-Community

Our kids developed a beautiful community together, welcoming new friends who joined us at later sessions and helping them catch up. They were eager participants during the program - and often asked me when the next session would take place. This year, some of our Caldekids even made promotional videos, revealing the upcoming selections. It was really fun to help them act as content creators and engage them in new ways. It was especially special when the books' authors/illustrators noticed and commented. Our group also expressed their strong identity as a Caldecott Club. They are a committee who also evaluates books like the grown-up one is doing. (Fun fact: I got the lanyards that the kids used to hold their Caldecott Club badges at the ALSC pre-conference... the more you know...)

We often don't know the impact of our programs or how these books will connect with young readers. But I believe that this program can help them feel good about being at the library, form a community together, share stories that are affirming and engaging and fun, and focus on the beauty within. It is no small thing.

And the party doesn't end yet. I'm super excited to host a curated viewing party for the Youth Media Awards on Monday, January 27 from 3:30-5:00 with our Caldecott Club. Other friends are welcome to join us! The livestream will take place at 7am CST and you can watch it here. Then, inspired by Mr. Brian, we're going to have a reaction session on Thursday to discuss the results and share our impressions of the entire program series. It will give the kids a chance to give more feedback and reflect on Caldecott Club. The more reflection, the better.

A librarian always shares their resources :) Here are a series of resources I found and used while preparing for our Caldecott Club that you may want to check out.

The Very Impatient Caterpillar by Ross Burach

How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

The Little Guys by Vera Brosgol

Carl and the Meaning of Life by Deborah Freedman

Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

A Stone Sat Still by Brendan Wenzel

Another by Christian Robinson

Music for Mister Moon by Philip and Erin Stead

When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market by Raúl the Third and Elaine Bay

At the Mountain's Base by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Weshoyot Alvitre

My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero, illustrated by Zeke Peña

Going Down Home with Daddy by Kelly Starling Lyons, illustrated by Daniel Minter

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

On 'Saturday' With Oge Mora by Daryl Grabarek (School Library Journal)

Gouache (Children's Book Art: Techniques and Media)

Where Are You From? by Yamile Saied Méndez, illustrated by Jamie Kim

You Belong (Margie Myers-Culver's Librarian's Quest)

The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander & Kadir Nelson

The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad with S.K Ali, illustrated by Hatem Aly

By Cristina Arreola & K.W. Colyard (Bustle)

Hair Love by Matthew A. Cherry, illustrated by Vashti Harrison

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Do you Want to Build a Caldecott Club? Reflections on our 2020 Mock Caldecott

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There are so many excellent, beautiful picture books published each year, so selecting books for Caldecott Club is a struggle and a joy. I chose books that I thought showed the genius of picture books, using a range of media, formats, structures, and content.

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Creating a Caldecott Club: Reflections on our 2019 Mock Caldecott

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Creating a Caldecott Club: Reflections on our 2019 Mock Caldecott

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It's no secret that I love picture books. They are like complete art galleries in your hands. They ignite your imagination, make you see things differently, and provoke powerful emotions.

For the past two months, I have had the opportunity to host our Caldecott Club program at Lincolnwood Public Library. I had volunteered at Brian Wilson's Evanston Public Library Caldecott Club in 2016, while he was on the committee, which made me hope that one day, if I worked at a public library, I could run my own picture book program. When I landed my dream job at Lincolnwood Public Library in 2017, I was excited to propose starting a Caldecott Club as a replacement for our New Book Tuesday drop-in program in January and February. I'm lucky that Brian shared his expertise and insights with me as I planned the program, sharing what he learned from running his Mock Caldecott program for two years. I also connected with Holly Jin at Skokie Public Library who shared resources that the library created to make the criteria accessible to kids, as well as fancy Caldecott Club badges. Our program grew over time with kids from 2nd grade through middle school. It was gratifying to see young people share the space with each other, knowing that their insights were equally valuable. The hierarchies of age shift when we're all engaging with picture books and walking through the art together. I still remember fondly when one of our middle schoolers joined us on a whim while we were discussing After the Fall by Dan Santat - and ran out afterwards to show it to our Head of Youth and Teen Services, Emily, because he was so moved by the book that he needed her to read it right now. I am also grateful for the powerful conversation we had about immigration and family while reading A Different Pond by Bao Phi, illustrated by Thi Bui. The children always noticed things I never did. Our group was charmed by Corinna Luyken's debut, The Book of Mistakes, a celebration of creativity and growth, channeling their innate sense of play and compassion. (Our Mock Caldecott winner was The Book of Mistakes. Our Honors were After the Fall and The Boy and the Whale by Mordecai Gerstein.) When I look at the books we discussed now, I see the children who expressed profound truths, sparked by the pictures.

Here are some of my thoughts about our 2019 Caldecott Club, which I hope will help you if you're considering running a program like this. Mock book award programs can be customized to the individual needs of the children you're working with, as well as your own personality and style, which makes them amazing programs to offer. So pick and choose what's helpful for you. And I'm always happy to chat and pay forward the support I've been given.

Planning the Caldecott Club
I was excited to take everything I had learned from my first Caldecott Club to create our program this fall. We planned four sessions to discuss four books each session, with a fifth Voting Party session. Our session took place every other Thursday in November and December, with our finale in January after the kids returned from their winter break. We're lucky that the school district is right across the street and a large number of kids hang out at the library after school. During each session, we reviewed what the Caldecott award was and what makes a good picture book to develop common language to use to evaluate the picture books. We then did picture walks through each of the books and voted for their top two favorites that would go to our party.

It's Not About Me
We all have definite opinions about the books we select to discuss. I chose books that I thought showed the genius of picture books, using a range of media, formats, structures, and content. I also wanted to share books that kids would enjoy, that spoke to their interests and personalities, considering the criteria that the book "displays respect for children's understandings, abilities, and appreciations." I also tried to be mindful of Christine Taylor-Butler's research about gender equity in the Caldecott award and aimed to provide a range of representation in the books we discussed. Listening to her essay and interview on the Kidlitwomen* Podcast was very eye-opening. During our conversations about the books, it was a challenge to express my passion for every book equally especially with our time constraints. I did LOTS of research to prepare to dive deep into the books and tried to embed the information within our conversations. Often, the kids' questions would be the catalyst for sharing this background information, which is exactly what I hoped would happen. I really wanted the center the kids' opinions of the books, rather than trying to convince them to vote for my favorites. If a book I loved was taken off the table, it wasn't really gone; I can always share with young people and their caregivers. Throughout this process, I tried to remember that Caldecott Club wasn't about me. I was just a facilitator to help the kids develop their understanding of picture books and create a community together to express it.

If You Build it...
I am a big believer in the long-game in programming. While I'd love to start out with a full registration list, I know that you need to build community and interest together with kids. I tried to draw in kids who had come to our Caldecott Club last year, as well as interest new ones to join us. Once kids came to Caldecott Club and discovered how fun it was, they brought their friends and siblings to join our community. Word of mouth from kids is infinitely more valuable than anything I could say or do. One of our participants spontaneously came to a session with a friend, but when he heard there would be cookies at our party, he kept asking about it. He told me at our final session, "I came here for the cookies and We Don't Eat our Classmates, too." He turned out to be one of the most insightful and helpful members of our Caldecott Club during our party. I am so grateful that I had the chance to share this experience with him. Food can get kids in the door and then magic happens. (I also give away book merch at most of my programs; bookmarks and buttons can do much to make a program appealing.)

Recording & Reflecting
I wish past me had recorded our sessions from our first Caldecott Club, especially our conversation about A Different Pond. I really wanted to capture their powerful insights this time around, so I decided to record our sessions with their consent, of course. The recordings weren't for public use or podcasting, but helped me think critically about how the session went, adjusting the plan or conversations during the next session. The recordings also helped me capture the kids' impressions and thoughts about the books, which I turned into blog posts on our library website. I had forgotten how much I love writing and the Caldecott Club series gave me an opportunity to creatively reflect and spotlight the kids' voices and insights. You can read through the blog posts if you want to know the brilliant things my kids said. Hint, hint... Caldecott committee.

Time
I struggled a lot with providing equal time for each of the books we discussed. Given the chance, I'd spend the entire session talking about one book. (I'm looking at you, Drawn Together). It's moments like this when I envy educators in schools who can take more time to delve deep into their Mock Caldecott units. My goal, however, is to introduce a variety of art styles, creators, and stories to help kids think more deeply about picture books. I am trying to provide breadth over depth, believing that the seeds planted here will have results I can't even imagine. Each kid may not see every book (or attend every program), but it's my hope that they'll discover something that makes them feel something important. My boss, Emily, shared a timer with me, which helped us focus on this goal. One of our participants took on the mantle of time-keeper, helping me move on to other books even when I wanted to beg her for more time. And of course, I shared with our group that the grown-up Caldecott Committee (and other ones, too) rely on time-keepers to help ensure they discuss all the books, too.

The Party: What Worked and What Didn't
The Voting Party was the culmination of our months examining and thinking critically about picture books. Honestly, I was super nervous about it since I wanted it to go well. I tried to provide lots of opportunities for the kids to take on leadership roles and assert their agency during this program, creating lists of jobs for the program like passing out books, collecting books, and giving out the ballots, as well as a discussion sign-up where each participant could help lead the conversation about a book they were passionate about - just like the grown-up Caldecott committee. (Our group doesn't say actual committee because they are a real committee themselves made of kids whose opinions are just as valid.)

Our group had a great time revisiting the picture books they had voted on to go to the party. They got into the discussion about each book, focusing on the art, how it made them feel and things they noticed, rather than a full picture walk or reading the book, which we definitely didn't have time for. The kids had their opinions and ideas validated, as well as listened to each other. The kids seemed to really enjoy our discussion and I did my best to try to include everyone in the conversation, asking kids who hadn't shared if they had ideas to add, but making sure they knew they didn't have to participate if they didn't want to.
Here are some pictures from the Evanston Public Library Caldecott Club Party!

Reflecting on this experience, I created a lot of working pieces that made the program feel like a beautiful chaotic whirlwind. The kids loved helping out and having specific jobs, but it made transitions between books and managing the conversation unwieldy. While I had hoped that having kids introduce the books would help facilitate more conversations, I think it just put more pressure on the kid introducing the book to know all the things about it, rather than making it a dialogue with everyone. Even the physical set-up of the program could definitely be improved upon. I arranged three tables in vertical rows with copies of our evaluation sheet and post-its in front of each chair, so kids could write down their ideas in case we didn't get to everyone. I think the tables created a barrier to having conversations with the group, with people's backs to each other, not necessarily feeling like part of a larger group. I had the opportunity to attend Brian Wilson's Caldecott Club Voting Party right after my program, where they set up their large meeting room into a huge semicircle, with library staff leading the discussion about each book. This structure worked really well to include everyone equally in the conversation with minimal transitions or stress. (Brian also led jumping jacks after a bunch of books, helping the kids get their wiggles out.) I think the fewer kids out of their seats during the discussion, the more focused everyone will be. (I instantly put this revelation to work during my Books & Bites Book Club program this week, putting chairs in a big circle, and it worked so much better for our discussion.)

At the end of our discussion of each of the books, we voted for our top 3 books. For some reason, I decided to use the Caldecott manual numbers to tally the votes ("first choice books receive four points; second choice books, three points; third choice books, two points"), which made doing the calculations at the end much harder for me. Fortunately, I had two kids who were eager to help do the math and helped keep me calm. (Next time, I'm definitely simplifying the math for us.) We then announced the results and made a video to "make the call" to our winner. And finally, I gave out CaldeCookies to celebrate all of our hard work.

Selecting our Winners

The winner of our 2019 Mock Caldecott is... We Don't Eat our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins.

Our Honor books are:
Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel, Ocean Meets Sky by the Fan Brothers, and Blue by Laura Vaccaro Seeger.

After this program, kids have asked if we're going to have more Caldecott Clubs, which I think speaks volumes about their experience. In their survey reflections, they have pointed out how everyone got to have their say and were not judged. They loved the books and having discussions about books.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Our kids left the program with positive feelings about books, the library, and the community we created. I got to know kids better who I didn't know before and I hope I'll be more attuned to their needs and interests to serve them better in the library, whether it's through programming, reader's advisory, or just chatting about life. We will have one more chance to bring our Caldecott Club together when we watch the Youth Media Awards on January 28 at 3:30pm in our Study & Stuff program. I am eager to celebrate with them! Afterwards, we'll start thinking about 2019 picture book contenders for our next Caldecott Club. Which books do you think we should have on our list?

A librarian always shares her resources :) Here are a series of resources I found and used while preparing for our Caldecott Club that you may want to check out.
We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
Simply 7 interview with Ryan T. Higgins (Jena Benton blog)
Review of the Day: We Don't Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins by Betsy Bird
Booktalk by Colby Sharp
We Don't Eat our Classmates (Podcast Bunny Presents #11)
Q & A with Ryan T. Higgins by Antonia Saxon (Publisher's Weekly)
The Field by Baptiste Paul, illustrations by Jacqueline Alcántara
Review of the Day: The Field by Baptiste Paul, ill. Jacqueline Alcántara by Betsy Bird
The Field Book Trailer
Interview with Baptiste Paul and Jacqueline Alcántara (This Picture Book Life)
Q&A With Illustrator Jacqueline Alcántara about her debut picture book, The Field (Latinxs in KidLit)
A conversation with Baptiste Paul & Jackie Alcantara (KidLit Nation)
Dreamers/Soñadores by Yuyi Morales
Interview with Yuyi Morales with Mr. Schu
In Conversation: Yuyi Morales and Neal Porter
Yuyi Morales keynote: SLJ Day of Dialog 2018
The Children's Book Podcast with Matthew Winner: Interview with Yuyi Morales
Dreamers Book Trailer
Dreamers video with Yuyi Morales

Seeing into Tomorrow: Haiku by Richard Wright, illustrations by Nina Crews
Conversation with Nina Crews: Seeing Into Tomorrow: Haiku by Richard Wright (What's The 411 Books)
Seeing into Tomorrow Trailer
Review of the day: Seeing into Tomorrow by Betsy Bird
5 QUESTIONS with Nina Crews, illustrator of "Seeing Into Tomorrow (James Preller's Blog)

We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Frané Lessac
Highly recommended: We Are Grateful/Otsaliheliga, by Traci Sorell from American Indians in Children's Literature by Dr. Debbie Reese
The Children's Book Podcast with Matthew Winner interview with Traci Sorell
Calling Caldecott Post
Book Trailer (created by Frané Lessac)
Publisher Resources including audio pronunciations & teaching guide
Charlesbrige Unplugged: Traci Sorell
Read.Watch.Read. Mr. Schu's interview with Traci Sorell
New Voice: Traci Sorell on We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Cynsations)

A Big Mooncake for Little Star by Grace Lin
Book Chat with the Illustrator: Grace Lin on A BIG MOONCAKE FOR LITTLE STAR
All the Wonders Cover Reveal and Interview
A Big Mooncake for Little Star Activities (Curious City DPW)
Book Trailer
Behind A Big Mooncake for Little Star
PictureBooking Podcast with Grace Lin

Blue by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

Seven Important Things Before Breakfast interview with Laura Vaccaro Seeger

They say Blue by Jillian Tamaki
Calling Caldecott Post
Jillian Tamaki Talks with Roger

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López
Calling Caldecott Post
Book Trailer
Illustrator Rafael López on The Day You Begin (Seven Important Things Before Breakfast blog)
The Day You Begin, Begins (Rafael López blog)
What If... by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Mike Curato
What If... Mike Curato Used Mixed-Media to Make a Book? (Seven Important Things Before Breakfast blog)
What If we Told you the Story Behind The Story (NerdyBookClub Blog)
Book Trailer

This is the Nest that Robin Built by Denise Fleming
Calling Caldecott Post
Book Trailer

The Stuff of Stars by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Ekua Holmes
An Interview with Ekua Holmes
The Stuff of Stars Resources from Marion Dane Bauer
My Favorite Book by Marion Dane Bauer
Picture book of the Day: Life is Cosmic in The Stuff of Stars (Mr. Brian's Picture Book Picks)
Calling Caldecott Post

Drawn Together by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat
In Conversation: Minh Lê and Dan Santat (Publisher's Weekly)
Drawn Together: An Interview with Minh Lê (Reading Rockets)
Minh Lê: Drawing From Family Stories For Inspiration (88 Cups of Tea Podcast)
Drawn Together by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat: Interview with Mr. Schu
Minh Lê & Dan Santat Talk with Roger (Horn Book)
Drawn Together by Mihn Lê and Dan Santat Book Talk (Colby Sharp)
Drawing Forth Inspiration, interview of Minh Lê & Dan Santat by Julie Danielson
Struggling For Words, A Boy And His Grandfather Are 'Drawn Together' At Last (All Things Considered)
Creative Playdate Podcast Episode 17: Interview with Dan Santat
Author Minh Lê Collaborates with Illustrator Dan Santat for Drawn Together by Susanna Baird (Spine Magazine)
Author Interview: Minh Lê on Drawn Together by Traci Sorell (Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations)

Ocean Meets Sky by the Fan Brothers
Ocean Meets Sky - An interview with The Fan Brothers by Alyson Beecher (Kid Lit Frenzy)
How two brothers collaborate through their love of drawing | Drawing With (YouTube Video)
Ocean Meets Sky by Katie Cunningham (SLJ's The Classroom Bookshelf)
In Conversation: The Fan Brothers (Publisher's Weekly)
The Fan Brothers: Over the sea, across the sky interview by Julie Danielson (Bookpage)

Hello Hello by Brendan Wenzel
HELLO HELLO by Brendan Wenzel by Mike Boldt (Picture Book Builders)
Hello Hello by Brian Wilson (Calling Caldecott)
7-Imp's 7 Kicks #582: Featuring Brendan Wenzel (Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast Blog)
Caldecott Honoree Brendan Wenzel on Illustration, Conservation, and Inspiration

Imagine! by Raúl Colón
Q & A with Raúl Colón by Antonia Saxon (Publisher's Weekly)
Live Art: Facebook Live with Raúl Colón
Let's Talk Illustrators #79: Raúl Colón (Let's Talk Picture Books)
Imagine! by Brian Wilson (Calling Caldecott)
The Children's Book Podcast with Matthew Winner interview with Raúl Colón

Extras:I created a YouTube playlist of videos and trailers that are perfect for sharing while waiting to tally the results.
You can see my complete Caldecott Club blog series by clicking on these links:
Caldecott Club Session 1
Caldecott Club Session 2
Caldecott Club Session 3
Caldecott Club Session 4
Caldecott Club Session 5

I was hoping Betsy Bird would do another Fuse 8 n' Kate Caldecott contenders episode and she did, discussing some of our Caldecott Club picks. Clearly, we are all on Team Penelope! You can listen here.

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Creating a Caldecott Club: Reflections on our 2019 Mock Caldecott

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It's no secret that I love picture books. They are like complete art galleries in your hands. They ignite your imagination, make you see things differently, and provoke powerful emotions. For the past two months, I have had the opportunity to host our Caldecott Club program at Lincolnwood Public Library.

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"How low can we go?" That was the key question when I decided to create a monthly Caldecott Club at my public library a few years ago.

"How low can we go?"

That was the key question when I decided to create a monthly Caldecott Club at my public library a few years ago. I'd read about the in-depth discussions that happened during the Mock Caldecotts held at other public and school libraries, and was thrilled to think that we might be able to do something similar. I could just see us gathering a group of kids and adults to discuss the merits of particular endpapers, dealing with gutter issues, and debating whether an illustrator used the right art medium for the story.

And then I remembered something important. The most popular programs at my library are those where the majority of child participants are preschoolers and toddlers. Of course, we do have programs for older children, but the fact is that our core audience skews very young. Thus we posed the question of how low, in age, could we go with our Caldecott Club. Could we create a program that could be enjoyed by very young children and still have a robust discussion of whether books meet Caldecott criteria? The answer has turned out to be a resounding yes, with some caveats.

First, I had to jettison the concept that our Caldecott Club would be a detailed discussion of how a book does - or does not - meet the criteria as presented in the Caldecott manual. Instead, we crafted our own "kid-friendly" version of the Caldecott criteria. More about that in a minute. It was also important to get over the idea that we adults (including the grown-ups who participate) would be helping the kids learn how to look at picture books. On the contrary, we have found that these very young children often help us learn how to really see and appreciate picture book art - they already are experts in looking at pictures, even if they don't know the definition of a full-bleed illustration or a double-page spread.

Most important was remembering our initial motivation for starting the Caldecott Club: to offer a family book club at our library. Many parents have told me how they wished they had more time to read with their kids and to discuss what they were reading, and this seemed like a great answer to that dilemma. In the midst of families' crazy lives, here is an hour-long monthly program, usually held on a Monday evening, where there aren't any books to read ahead of time; we read the books together on the spot and then discuss them. Plus there's the added sweetener of lemonade and cookies (with the gluten-, nut-, and dairy-free options participants requested) that we serve at each club meeting. We usually have anywhere from 15 to 30 participants, and usually many more for our final meeting in early January when we choose "our" Caldecott winner.

Our goal is to offer a fun family program, but there's still plenty of learning going on. To get everyone on the same page, so to speak, we took the official Caldecott criteria and re-worked them to come up with kid-friendly Caldecott definitions. Our version is meant to be less wordy, and we use more basic language, yet we tried hard to keep the key concepts of the formal criteria. We have copies of the kid-friendly criteria available at each Caldecott program, and we start each new year of Caldecott Club programs by discussing them.

This year, inspired by Megan Dowd Lambert's Reading Picture Books with Children, I decided to use the first program of the year as an opportunity to further expand our shared visual and spoken vocabulary to include such things as gutters, trim size, and endpapers. I had shied away from such a specific discussion in previous years, worried that it would be too much information for our young participants. Although a few audience members eventually grew a bit restless, most seemed fascinated by the terms we discussed, as did the adults. For this program, we used past Caldecott Medal winners as examples and we kept it simple, asking for example, "What shape is this book and why do you think it is that shape?" and "Do you think that hand in the gutter is an issue?" Kids and parents especially enjoyed the idea of looking for "undies" (what's under the book jacket on the case cover).

We presented this program in April, when we usually begin our year of Caldecott Club programs by reviewing our kid-friendly criteria. Starting in May, we meet monthly to read 4 to 5 books that I choose, based on reviews, "buzz," and my own instincts as good possibilities for the next Caldecott Medal. To ensure that everyone can really pore over the details in the illustrations, we use an ELMO document camera - an updated version of an opaque projector that allows us to show the pages on a big screen. My colleague, library associate Dave Burbank, is an artist (he creates our summer reading program each year as well as the sign art for our programs), and he's very facile at using the ELMO to zero in on particular details in the illustrations.

As people arrive for the Caldecott Club, they're given a pencil and a "ballot" that lists the title, author, and illustrator of each book we're reading that night, plus two basic questions to consider: "Do the pictures tell a story?" and "Does the art style match the story?" We then read and discuss each book through the lens of our kid-friendly Caldecott criteria. To give the discussion a bit of organization and inject some extra excitement, we also ask participants to rate each book from 1 to 5, with 1 the worst and 5 the best. Kids, in particular, love rating a book this way. Of course, we then try to tease out why someone gives a book a 3: what keeps it from being a 4 or even a 5? At the end of the evening, we vote for our favorite of the books we've read that night, and that book becomes one of the finalists when we ultimately vote for our Caldecott winner in January.

Because so many of our participants are quite young, the discussions can get rather wide-ranging, and sometimes it can be hard to keep the discussion focused on the illustrations and the interaction between the art and the text rather than on the story itself. Over the years, however, I've found that a little prompting can help: just by asking a child who likes a book "because the story is funny" how the illustrations may help convey that impression, you can learn a whole lot about the amazing ability of children to "read" illustrations. The fact that so many participants are preschoolers or younger also means that we can't read as great a range of Caldecott possibilities. I do try to do at least one nonfiction program, which can be pushing it in terms of attention spans, depending on who shows up that night. But there are still some books that just wouldn't work at all for this crowd, and we just decided to save those books for our annual Mock Caldecott for Adults program.

Our early-January meeting is longer than usual because we read each of the 8 finalists chosen from May through December, discuss all of them once more, and then vote. Just as in the "real" committee, the book with the most votes is our medalist, and then we determine how many honor books to choose. There's great excitement at this meeting as kids and adults vie for their favorites of the year, and we always hope that we have chosen the book that will win the actual Caldecott Medal later that month. We've gotten close a couple of times, but never have chosen the "real" winner.

Our February meeting is devoted to reading and discussing the actual Caldecott Medal winner and Caldecott Honor books, and in March, we read "Calde-Nots," those wonderful books that weren't eligible because they didn't meet the Caldecott criteria, often because the illustrator lives outside the United States. Then we start the cycle over again!

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"How low can we go?" That was the key question when I decided to create a monthly Caldecott Club at my public library a few years ago. "How low can we go?" That was the key question when I decided to create a monthly Caldecott Club at my public library a few years ago.

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I'm Michaela Goade - an artist, children's book illustrator and graphic designer living and working in Juneau, Alaska, where I was also raised. My childhood was spent in the forests and on the beaches of Southeast Alaska and my style is rooted in the depth and beauty of its landscapes. At the heart of my work is a love for nature and a passion for evocative storytelling. I'm forever inspired by the coastal wilds of Southeast Alaska, and am always working to capture its magic and honor its vibrant cultures.

I studied graphic design in college but eventually found my way back to art and, surprisingly, into the magical world of picture book illustration. It has always been a dream of mine to illustrate books for children, and I'm thrilled to be learning this new art form.

No matter where you call home, I'm very excited to be able to share my little corner of the world with you!

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You searched for: MichaelaGoade! Discover the unique items that MichaelaGoade creates. At Etsy, we pride ourselves on our global community of sellers. Each Etsy seller helps contribute to a global marketplace of creative goods. By supporting MichaelaGoade, you're supporting a small business, and, in turn, Etsy!

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Welcome back to our 2021 Caldecott Club! I'm Miss Eti, one of the Youth & Teen Services librarians at Lincolnwood Library. We have come full circle during this, our 4th Caldecott Club, inspired by the fantastic program that Brian Wilson created at Evanston Public Library in 2016. This year we are hosting a collaborative virtual Caldecott Club WITH Mr. Brian and Evanston Public Library. We have been learning so much about how to host this program virtually - and it's been so fun to join together across our community to geek out about gorgeous picture books!

We met together on Zoom on January 19, 2021 with a group of wonderful readers, their families, and friends to talk about all things picture books. We designed this program to be open to kids from around 1st grade through 8th grade and up because picture books are for everybody and everyone can learn from each other. I've tried to recap their brilliance in this post. (You can read the recaps from Session #1 here, Session #2 here, and Session #3 here.) We reached the culmination of our hard work picture walking and evaluating picture books for months: The Voting Party! We were joined by our program buddy, Ann, and our Evanston Library buddy, Laura. We also were joined by a special guest, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast blogger, author, and librarian, Julie Danielson!

During this program series, different kids have attended a variety of sessions so it was pretty exciting to have most of our regular attendees - and some new friends attend our culminating program. The wonderful thing about picture books is their accessibility for engagement, whether you're a first timer at Caldecott Club or a longtime fan.

We began our session by reviewing what the Caldecott award is, which is "most distinguished American picture book for children awarded by the Association for Library Service to Children." Mr. Brian, as usual, revealed the books we'd discuss and helped get us excited! He also encouraged us to listen to each other and approach each book with an open mind. We then jumped into our discussion. We started the conversation about each book with a quick booktalk/picture walk to ensure everyone was familiar with the books. (The summaries below are from the descriptions from the publishers' pages.) During our discussion, we asked the kids to share what they liked about the art, starting with the positive things first, as per the CCBC Book Discussion Guidelines, and then share what didn't work for them about the art. A reoccurring theme throughout our discussion that the kids brought up was comparing the books to each other, which is a helpful strategy for all committees.

Our essential questions were:

What did you like about the art?

How well did the art express the themes/ideas/story?

Why should it win our Caldecott Club Award?

What could have been done better? Why shouldn't it win our Caldecott Club Award?

Iris loves to push the elevator buttons in her apartment building, but when it's time to share the fun with a new member of the family, she's pretty put out. That is, until the sudden appearance of a mysterious new button opens up entire realms of possibility, places where she can escape and explore on her own. But when she's forced to choose between going at it alone or letting her little brother tag along, Iris finds that sharing a discovery with the people you love can be the most wonderful experience of all.

Brian led our discussion about Lift. He started with a fantastic booktalk to recap Iris's whirlwind adventures with the magical elevator button. He pointed out the unique features of the art in the comic-book style, the evocative facial expressions and body language, the use of humor, the dramatic page turns and double-page spreads, and use of perspective.

One reader shared how the art showed the girl's emotions and how mad she got each time she didn't get to press the button. Mr. Brian affirmed, "you could feel what she was feeling." M. shared, "I love Lift because it's drawn super well with all the little details.. and how every time [she] goes to a different place..." This led us into a discussion of the medium of Lift, which is usually found on the copyright page, but not in this book 🙁 The art is so fantastic and seems like it could be oil painting. We looked back at our notes and determined that it was made using Photoshop and Procreate. I have linked a video from Politics & Prose with Minh Lê and Dan Santat where Dan shows his process illustrating the book, including many of the things he changed between drafts (yay for the magical places inspirations)! A. shared that "every page has a special detail." It was interesting how the comic book style worked for some readers and others did not prefer the format and had trouble following the format. Readers did share how they liked how it really showed emotion. L., shared, "I like it just fine. I actually love it. It's one of my favorites."

When is an old truck something more? On a small, bustling farm, a resilient and steadfast pickup works tirelessly alongside the family that lives there, and becomes a part of the dreams and ambitions of the family's young daughter. After long days and years of hard work leave the old truck rusting in the weeds, it's time for the girl to roll up her sleeves. Soon she is running her own busy farm, and in the midst of all the repairing and restoring, it may be time to bring her faithful childhood companion back to life.

Julie led our discussion about The Old Truck. She shared an excellent booktalk about the little girl growing up on the farm with the old truck as the constant in her life, and eventually she fixes up the old truck. Julie pointed out how it's made with a mixture of traditional stamps and digital art, the limited color palette, simple shapes and patterns that express big ideas about working hard and family, inspired by the women in the creators' family who worked really hard. Julie also pointed out how the truck stays in the same place in each spread. Y. shared that "this story is kind of unique. Most people end up buying different vehicles, but they keep this one, like it's just as special as their family." S. added, "I like how you could see the time passing." R. said, "it's kind of interesting to see how she grows up on every page." M. added, "I really liked how the whole stamp thing. It looked really cool and I loved the color scheme - and I could see myself painting my walls using it." Jules helped us think critically about the use of earth tones to convey meaning in The Old Truck - and how fitting it was for the themes of the story. Lu. shared how when we flipped through the book, it felt like a movie seeing the truck in the same place with everything changing. (10 points to us for making digital versions of the books available!)

Inspired by the many Indigenous-led movements across North America, We Are Water Protectors issues an urgent rallying cry to safeguard the Earth's water from harm and corruption-a bold and lyrical picture book written by Carole Lindstrom and vibrantly illustrated by Michaela Goade.

Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all . . .

When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth
And poison her people's water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth's most sacred resource.

I (Eti) led the discussion for We are Water Protectors. I reminded our group that it was illustrated by Michaela Goade, using watercolors, which is absolutely fitting and perfect for this book. I talked about how this book focuses on our relationship to water, and when the black snake/oil pipeline threatens the water, plants, animals, and people, the Indigenous-led resistance movement rises up to speak up and protect the water, which continues on today. H. shared, "I like this book because it teaches people how to treat the environment." La. added, "I liked the watercolors. It really showed nature. I also liked why it was written and explained what was happening and why it's bad." You know I love good back-matter, too, my friend. Y. shared, "What I like about this is that they're fighting for their water, just like some people right now during COVID, who don't have water which is why they're suffering so much." (This powerful comment shows how incredible both this young reader is - and this gorgeous book that provokes this thoughtful comment. I can't help but be reminded about the vital importance of access to clean water in Indian Country.) M. shared her favorite spreads when people are in a circle, declaring, "We stand/with our songs/and our drums./We are still here. She also really liked the spread that shows the negative impact of the pipeline on the wildlife, recognizing the creativity to express it.

A breathtaking picture book featuring a Korean girl and her haenyeo (free diving) grandmother about intergenerational bonds, finding courage in the face of fear, and connecting with our natural world. Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast of Jeju Island to pluck treasures from the sea-generations of Korean women have done so for centuries. To Dayeon, the haenyeo are as strong and graceful as mermaids. To give her strength, Dayeon eats Grandma's abalone porridge. She practices holding her breath while they do the dishes. And when Grandma suits up for her next dive, Dayeon grabs her suit, flippers, and goggles. A scary memory of the sea keeps Dayeon clinging to the shore, but with Grandma's guidance, Dayeon comes to appreciate the ocean's many gifts.

Julie led our discussion about The Ocean Calls. Julie talked about how Dayeon overcomes her fear of diving to join her grandmother, who is a haenyeo. Julie pointed out how the art was made digitally, pointing out the textures throughout the book, the mermaid imagery, playful perspectives, and magical purple. Julie also pointed out that Jess X. Snow worked really hard to accurately represent the haenyeo women in their culture. H. shared, "when they draw the ocean, if I were to do that, I would draw a straight line, but they drew waves, which is kind of cool." Y. shared that he liked how Dayeon overcame her fear. M. shared how much she liked the backgrounds and surroundings with the colors, especially the ocean and the field. Lu. commented, "the ocean looks so real, you can almost feel it." Julie talked about how the medium was really effective to express these ideas. Another reader added, "I like the way they draw everything. It makes it look super realistic and shows the expressions. Everything looks really fitting to the story." B. shared, "I really like that they made the shadows into mermaid shapes. Also, I love mermaids. They're one of my favorite things." Julie shared that there's a lot of mermaid imagery since the haenyeo are, as the author's note states, "fondly known as Korea's granny mermaids" and also "Indigenous marine biologists." H. shared, "I think it should win since Dayeon had a fear of the water ... and she went through it bravely and it tells the reader that fear is just another reason why you should try harder to do the things you're afraid of."

In this lively, rousing picture book from Caldecott Honoree Jillian Tamaki, a crew of resourceful neighbors comes together to prepare a meal for their community. With a garden full of produce, a joyfully chaotic kitchen, and a friendly meal shared at the table, Our Little Kitchen is a celebration of full bellies and looking out for one another. Bonus materials include recipes and an author's note about the volunteering experience that inspired the book.

Ann led our discussion of Our Little Kitchen. She shared a fantastic booktalk about community kitchen bringing everyone together. She pointed out how it was drawn with nib pens and colored digitally, with a comics art style. She also pointed out how the book uses onomatopoeia to visually show the sounds, immersing you in the kitchen noises and smells, with a mixture of realism and surrealism. Ms. Ann also pointed out the excellent author's note and recipe endpapers. Y. shared, "I like how in the end, the kid says, 'Ok, time to clean up!'" H. shared how she liked the use of onomatopoeia "to show the reader what they're doing and how they're doing it." A. shared that she's learning about onomatopoeia in school for writing, which is such a great personal connection. B. shared how she liked how there's so much detail on all the pages. She also noticed the shape and size of the text. S. shared that she liked it because she likes graphic novels and also likes to cook and bake. R. pointed out how the book starts out quiet, gets loud and then gets quiet again. Ann pointed out how the use of white space helps communicate in the book. J. shared, "This is my favorite book. I like how the art is like a comic book." Ann modeled a fantastic text-to-text comparison to reflect on the comics features between Our Little Kitchen and Lift. L. shared that the comics features felt stronger in Lift but liked Our Little Kitchen better because of the drawing style that feels like a page of well-drawn doodles. H. shared that "they're making food to help people who don't have it, so that's nice to know . . . so it's kind that they're helping others."

Captain Swashby loves the sea, his oldest friend. And he loves his life by the sea just as it is: salty and sandy and serene. One day, much to Swashby's chagrin, a young girl and her granny commandeer the empty house next door. All Swashby wants is for his new neighbors to GO AWAY and take their ruckus with them. When Swashby begins to leave notes in the sand for his noisy neighbors, however, the beach interferes with the messages that are getting across. Could it be that the captain's oldest friend, the sea, knows what Swashby needs even better than he knows himself?

Laura led our discussion of Swashby and the Sea. She framed it as a story of "eventual friendship," which is such a perfect way of putting it. Laura helped point out how the art shows how the sea is another character in the book. She shared how the expressions are larger than life, especially noticing the character's eyes, noting the muted colors to convey it's a beach story. H. shared how she liked how it's an unlikely friendship story, appreciating how the girl never gives up and keeps coming back. B. added how it's funny and liked how the ocean didn't wash all the letters out, but made different words from the letters. L. declared that, "it should be first. It's a good book - it's about friendship - and I'm all about friendship. And it's very funny too." Y. shared that it's also a favorite, and like The Ocean Calls, the girl went into the ocean even though she didn't want to.

After we had walked through each book in a whirlwind of color and conversation, we were ready to vote for the winner of our 2021 Caldecott Club. This year, since we met virtually, I created a google form for people to vote for their first, second, and third choice. (If you're interested in the technical details, I downloaded the results into an spreadsheet, calculated the number (1st place gets 3 points, 2 gets 2, and 3rd place gets 1) and then added up the totals. I then was able to screenshare to show how we got our results for full transparency. Finally, the math was complete and we were ready to announce our winners!

The Winner of our Evanston Public Library and Lincolnwood Library 2021 Mock Caldecott is....
Lift by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat

Our group selected 3 Honor Books:
Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki

Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

The Old Truck by Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey

But wait, there's more!

We will have a live Youth Media Awards Viewing Party on Zoom on Monday, January 25 at 8:00am CST! You can even get a special Grab & Go Kit in Lincolnwood Library's Great Green Box. Register here.

Then, in the evening, we'll meet up together at our regular Caldecott Club time (Monday, January 25 at 7pm CST) to watch selections from the Youth Media Awards webcast and react to the winners.

Resources

You can put Caldecott Club books on hold at our libraries here.

I have created a RESOURCE GUIDE with activities, videos, podcasts, program kit supplies, handouts, and more to share the sources we've used and continue the learning! We hope it will be useful for you to explore these books at home!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Caldecott Club! Thank you so much to Mr. Brian for this incredible collaboration! Thank you so much to Ann and Laura for being our awesome buddies and facilitators. Thank. you to our special guest, Julie Danielson, for joining our Caldecott Club community, leading two discussions, and sharing your notable picture book expertise! And of course, thank you to our friends, families, and young readers who are our Caldecott Club!

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Welcome back to our 2021 Caldecott Club! I'm Miss Eti, one of the Youth & Teen Services librarians at Lincolnwood Library. We have come full circle during this, our 4th Caldecott Club, inspired by the fantastic program that Brian Wilson created at Evanston Public Library in 2016.

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Welcome back to our 2021 Caldecott Club! I'm Miss Eti, one of the Youth & Teen Services librarians at Lincolnwood Library. We have come full circle during this, our 4th Caldecott Club, inspired by the fantastic program that Brian Wilson created at Evanston Public Library in 2016. This year we are hosting a collaborative virtual Caldecott Club WITH Mr. Brian and Evanston Public Library. We have been learning so much about how to host this program virtually - and it's been so fun to join together across our community to geek out about gorgeous picture books!

We met together on Zoom on January 4, 2021 with a group of wonderful readers, their families, and friends to talk about all things picture books. We were joined by our program buddy, Ann, and our Evanston Library buddy, Laura. We designed this program to be open to kids from around 1st grade through 8th grade and up because picture books are for everybody and everyone can learn from each other. I've tried to recap their brilliance in this post. (You can read the recaps from Session #1 here & Session #2 here.)

We began our program by Mr. Brian review the books that we've selected to go to our Voting Party and revealing the books we would discuss. With so much to do in so little time, we compressed our usual review to get to the books faster. But you can check out all of our resources to learn more about the Caldecott award and our books.

Mr. Brian put the books in a cardboard box, so he could dramatically open it just like the grown-up committee does when books arrive in the mail.
The books we discussed in session 3 were:
All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier

Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki

Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

Picture Walk

Rather than doing a formal read aloud of each book, we did picture walks. For the picture walk, we discussed each book's visual features to examine the techniques the artists used and how they worked. Often we would prompt the group by asking them: What did you notice? What does it make you wonder? How does this page make you feel? What makes this art distinguished? (Shout out to Megan Dowd Lambert's Whole Book Approach. I highly recommend her book, Reading Picture Books with Children: How to Shake Up Storytime and Get Kids Talking about What They See.)

We added to our usual picture walk toolbox by encouraging participants to share and listen in lots of ways. People could unmute themselves and talk, raise their hands, use the chat, and use the reactions - and people did all of these things throughout the program, so ended up having a rich discussion in many places at the same time.
All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier

I (Eti) began our discussion by sharing research that I did about the origins of this extraordinary, beautiful book. As Tami Charles said in a Shelf Awareness interview, "This story was born from love and a deep desire to keep my son, Christopher, little forever, which I think most parents can relate to! I wanted to keep him shielded from the cruelties of the world. But as he grew older and had questions about injustices against people of color, I needed to do something. What better way than to write Christopher a love letter to remind him of all the reasons why he matters to me, and to the world?" I listened to the Children's Book Podcast with Matthew Winner interview with Tami Charles many times and learned something new each time. I highly recommend checking out the amazing Books of Wonder author event with Tami Charles and her son, Christopher, moderated by Jason Reynolds! It's such a gift to have these author events available to us at this time. I also shared information from Bryan Collier about the art, including information from his Illustrator's Note, saying, "I was partially raised by grandmother who was a quilt maker. When you see the art, you see her influence, as join collage and petal shapes together to make a whole idea or image. To visually tell this story, I started with the shape of a single flower petal to build a blossoming effect in all backgrounds - like the night sky, interior wallpaper, and the child's storybook. Faces appear on those petals, representing the voices of ancestors chanting: "You matter." As our main character is faced with navigating today's challenges of identity, self-worth, survival, and the ability to thrive, he is surrounded by a community of family." I made sure to tell our group to pay attention to the petals and how they change throughout the book.

We began our journey by noticing the adorable photograph of the baby on the title page, literally at the center of the solar system mobile, the center of his family's universe. I had to read the first page of this book, the language is just so powerful. "They say that matter is all things that make up the universe: energy, stars, space ... if that's the case, then you, dear child, matter."

We talked about the importance of the faces of the ancestors in the petals, exploring how the illustrations express the ideas in the text that "long before you took your place in this world, you were dreamed of, like a knapsack full of wishes, carried on the backs of your ancestors as they created empires, pyramids, legacies." People pointed out the textures and patterns on the petals. We talked about how from even the endpapers, it was anticipated that the child would be born using the shooting star in the sky.

As the child grows older, our group marveled at the scene reading a book with his mother. L. & S shared, "the story seems to lift out of the book." Our group expressed how the petals convey that experience of "like a mirror staring back at you, and really saw yourself... same hair, same skin, same dreams." B. shared how they look like fire, clear and colorful. Our group really embraced pointing out wherever there were petals.

As our group discussed the school scene, they expressed how it made them feel, sharing "it makes us feel shy and lonely," "stressed," and "frustrated."
R. pointed out that there were no petals in this spread itself, which surprised them. We talked about how when you "question your place in the universe," you can feel disconnected from the ancestors and the things that remind you that you matter. Our group really connected to the next spread of the marked up math, responding to our discussion about how he is feeling, saying he's "disappointed and frustrated because he got bad grades." B. added, "like he is not good enough." We definitely have all been there before. Our group did notice the petals on the floor, sparking the idea that he's not alone.

We talked about the powerful image of the boy in front the Black Lives Matter mural, with rivers across his face with his eyes closed, connecting to the ancestors.

We then talked about the dramatic page turn as his eyes open, looking directly at the reader, surrounded by a garden of petals, enfolding him like a cape. Ms. Ann shared, "The leaves look like a throne now!" Our group noticed it is similar to the cover. D. added it "reminds me of a peacock which is very royal." B. shared how this spread also uses the same red petals as the carpet in the school scene. Kids noticed things I never do! Our kids really appreciated the use of colors throughout the book. We noticed how the petals burst in the air as he's embraced by his parents, supported by an entire community who love him. As S. & L, said, "it's like everyone's together and happy." We close by reading the last page, with Christopher grinning at the reader, in Tami's embrace, with the words, "You mattered. They mattered. We matter.. and always will." I, of course, pointed out the excellent back-matter to delve deeper into these conversations. We also included the discussion guide for educators and caregivers, created Vera Ahiyya, known as the Tutu Teacher, in our resources and our Grab & Go Kit. It's an invaluable learning resource.
Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki

Mr. Brian shared how Jillian Tamaki often makes graphic novels and comics and has recently been making some wonderful picture books, especially informed by her understanding of sequential art. He also shared how this book is inspired by Jillian volunteering at a community kitchen in Brooklyn. He pointed out that this book mixes realism and surrealism.

From the first moment we explored the cover, our group was charmed, noticing how the people were cooking, flying, and jumping in the air. "I like this. It looks funny... there's butter floating in the air," one reader declared. (We agree!) When we turned to the endpapers, they gleefully said, "there's the butter again." I hereby declare the subtitle for Our Little Kitchen: An Ode to Butter (and Community). Ms. Ann shared, "Julia Child would love it!"

Mr. Brian told us to pay attention to the lettering and how it changes - and communicates information. He also helped us notice the white space on the pages - and how it's used to show the energy of each scene. Ms. Ann shared how it reminds her of Lucy Knisley's work, which we love. Our group pointed out how when more people arrive, it's get louder. Ms. Ann shared, "It feels like everyone's SO EXCITED to see one another." S. shared, it's "getting more hectic." Mr. Brian shared how the scene with the beginnings of the garden leads the way to the next spread showing it in its glory. One reader pointed out how the spread shows a progression in the story as the person in the green apron looks thoughtfully at the oven, knowing they're missing something, to then head into the garden to get it.

Mr. Brian showed how the action starts to speed up as they get to work - and the images start to become more surreal. Of course, one of our young readers noticed the apple balancing on the kid's head. I love how kids shared that they have made an apple crumble in class. (We should all make our own for our party!) We then started to notice the kid throughout the book. We talked about how the surreal beans scene, as S. said, "it must be a lot of beans."

Mr. Brian shared how Jillian's use of lettering helps express the onomatopoeia of the sounds of the food preparation and cooking. Ms. Ann added, "they look like the action - the chop is sharp and clean, the sprinkle is light like really sprinkling." Y. said they want to express (the idea). We talked about using perspective to show time's almost up with the leader in front telling everyone they have 15 minutes. We then return to the realistic view with overhead shots showing the community coming together to eat. Ms. Ann said, "I love how they're talking to one another - they are friends, a community." This spread instantly inspired a reader to start reading the dialog aloud. S. shared, "I'm jealous of them." This scene definitely makes us miss being together in person.

Mr. Brian then pointed out how we see the full little kitchen for the first time. He pointed out how the scene is revealed with the drawing of the building. Ms. Ann shared, "It's like a dollhouse with the one wall open so you can see inside." We talked about the contrast between the dining area and the kitchen in its size. L. shared, "it looks fun." As time runs out, we talked about the panic tomato red background shows how it's time to get started. Once they start sharing the meal, a reader said, "it makes me feel calm, like everything is now good." Mr. Brian pointed out how Jillian uses pictures to convey the conversations with the community as they eat. (This gave me major Owly, the graphic novel series, feels.) L., said, "The food looks yummy."

When our young friend we've been following talks for the first time, yelling, "Ok, time to clean up!," our kids pointed out that the adults are trying to eat and relax, making this a funny scene. Mr. Brian then pointed out the excellent author's note at the end.
Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

I (Eti) began our picture walk by sharing how Samara Cole Doyon wrote this gorgeous book for her daughter, Nadia. As she wrote in A Note from the Author, "My hope is that we will give all children the chance to embrace and celebrate the many vibrant pieces of themselves, joined together with the same fierce and unrelenting love that sews a cherished family heirloom." We talked about noticing the different senses expressed in the book since it is a feast for all of them. I'm so grateful for the incredible conversation on the Children's Book Podcast with Matthew Winner with Samara Cole Doyon & Kaylani Juanita, which was so vital to guiding our discussion and highlighting the breathtaking details from the text and pictures.

We talked about how the metaphor in Samara's initial text connects to something beautiful about the next child on the next spread, who will be the protagonist in the following image. Our group, of course, noticed the puppy joining the girl and her Daddy on the mountain hike. They also noticed the shadows and layers on the trees, which is amazingly done digitally. We also noticed the bee motif throughout the book.

We talked about the image of the girl on the "radiant brown.. like my skin," page jumps off the page. Our group noticed that "she has tons of protection just like me." We then got to join her at the fall fair, with the text, "smooth, creamy brown. Like the flawless flow of caramel gloriously smothering my favorite fall fair delight." The words are just delicious!

I love the personal connections the kids made throughout the book. When we got to "magnificent homespun brown," we returned to the quilt from the title page, showcasing all the things we've experienced woven together. I then pointed out the fantastic Note from the Author to explore in more detail.
Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

This book is illustrated in acrylics, colored pencils, and graphite on hand-textured paper by Juana Martinez-Neal. Mr. Brian told us to notice how she paints people and the body language, telling us, "no one paints people quite like Juana Martinez-Neal." Mr. Brian started us out by thinking about the character of Swashby, which prompted these responses:

"He's kind of scared and he thinks he should have brought somebody else."

"He feels alone and lonely because he wasn't born with a sister or brother."

"He's a hermit."

L. noticed how he has a big beard, like he's hiding behind it.

Mr. Brian showed how the neighbors are hidden initially with their backs to the reader, using illustrations to show details about them with their beach supplies and fun. We talked about Swashby's reactions to his neighbors, spying out the window. Mr. Brian talked about the girl's body language after the sea told her to Sing. This is a great book to make predictions about - and our group made excellent ones!

Mr. Brian shared how the page turns show the humor. During the PLAY scene, Mr. Brian asked what Swashby is doing. One reader shared, "he's asking her to get in the hole and he's gonna bury her under it." We talked about how this scene shows he's starting to play as he showed her how to dig for wet sand. Mr. Brian shared how he loves the way Juana draws the water dripping off of Swashby and the girl as he saves her. Afterwards. Mr. Brian asked us how Swashby feels at the end and our group declared happy.

VOTING!

After we had walked through each book in a whirlwind of color and conversation, we were ready to vote. This year, since we met virtually, I created a google form for people to vote for their first and second choice. (If you're interested in the technical details, I downloaded the results into an spreadsheet, changed the 1s to 3s (since 1st place gets 3 points, 2 gets 2) and then added up the totals. I then was able to screenshare to show how we got our results for full transparency.
And the Session 3 Winners Are...
Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki

Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

Join Us Next Time!

It all comes down to this, friends: The Caldecott Club VOTING PARTY! We will meet on our new day, TUESDAY, January 19 at 7:00-8:15pm CST where we will pick the winner(s) of our Mock Caldecott. If you've missed our sessions so far, no worries. You can check out our recaps & put the books we'll discuss on hold at our library. Just make sure to register.

To review, the books we will discuss at our Voting Party Are:
Lift by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat The Old Truck by Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade The Ocean Calls by Tina Cho, illustrated by Jess X. Snow Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
But wait, there's more Caldecott Club fun! We'll join together to watch selections from the Youth Media Awards on January 25!

You can still pick up a free Grab & Go Program Kit at Lincolnwood Library in our Great Green Box or contact our library to pick up a kit, while supplies last. You can also access our digital Grab & Go Kit at https://bit.ly/3pIi0QJ. Check out what's in our program kit in the video below!

Resources

You can put Caldecott Club books on hold at our libraries here.

I have created a RESOURCE GUIDE with activities, videos, podcasts, program kit supplies, handouts, and more to share the sources we've used and continue the learning! We hope it will be useful for you to explore these books at home!

Thanks for sticking all the way through this post... I hope to see you next time at Caldecott Club!

- Eti

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Welcome back to our 2021 Caldecott Club! I'm Miss Eti, one of the Youth & Teen Services librarians at Lincolnwood Library. We have come full circle during this, our 4th Caldecott Club, inspired by the fantastic program that Brian Wilson created at Evanston Public Library in 2016.

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Title: Lift by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat Is the artwork amazing? Do the pictures do an excellent job of telling the story? Is the style of the art the best choice for the story? Do the pictures help you understand the story, characters and place? Do you think a kid wo...

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Our narrator explains, with great enthusiasm and gusto, how "every Wednesday, we come together in this little kitchen" to prepare a communal meal for all who are hungry.

Our Little Kitchen
by Jillian Tamaki; illus. by the author
Primary Abrams 48 pp. g
9/20 978-1-4197-4655-0 $17.99

Our narrator explains, with great enthusiasm and gusto, how "every Wednesday, we come together in this little kitchen" to prepare a communal meal for all who are hungry. Meal prep begins with "what we've got": veggies (some quite imperfect) from the urban garden; whatever's in the fridge ("OH! - Dunno what this is, but it's GOTTA GO!"); day-old bread; "beans from the food bank? Third week in a row! But it's what we've got, we'll use 'em somehow." A sense of effervescent improvisation pervades the tale, through its cookery details and the text's rhythm and design. We see frequent shifts between main text and dialogue, with speech bubbles barely containing the conversational chatter and even intersecting during "cooperative overlap" (a.k.a. interrupting). Yummy sound effects abound - the rewarding, drawn-out "Slurp" near the end contains six Ss, six Ls, four Us, five Rs, and four P s, all uppercase and of varying sizes. The illustrations themselves, "done with a nib and ink" and colored digitally, feature sure-handed black outlines, comics-style, around characters of all ages, shapes, races, religions, abilities, and genders, each of whom exudes vibrancy, warmth, individuality, and purpose. It's no surprise that, per the appended note, the story is based on Tamaki's experiences volunteering at a community kitchen in a gentrifying neighborhood - with the joyful safe space of the dining room as succor for the longtime denizens: "See you next week!" The endpapers include recipes for vegetable soup (front) and apple crumble (back - because dessert!).

From the November/December 2020 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.

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Our narrator explains, with great enthusiasm and gusto, how "every Wednesday, we come together in this little kitchen" to prepare a communal meal for all who are hungry. Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki; illus. by the author Primary Abrams 48 pp.

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In the first meeting with my first principal in my first school, something he said has stayed with me for more than four decades. This was the first year for this principal in this building. He looked at an over-abundance of new staff seated around the conference table. The first thing he said to us was "without the children, we would not need you." He wanted us to know the students came first.

For me, not only did students come first, but I tried to look at them and say, "What if this was my child?" I wanted them to have every advantage, every opportunity, and every respect I had to offer. This is why certain books move me deeply. With every reading of All Because You Matter ( Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc., October 6, 2020) written by Tami Charles with illustrations by Bryan Collier, I find tears welling in my eyes. Every single child deserves to be enveloped with the love and positivity pouring from the pages of this book.
that make up the universe: then you, dear child, matter.
The voice continues to tell the child how in a time before they were a hope, people were shaping a world to welcome this child. In this world they used their strength, physical and mental, to benefit those who were not yet born. Everything they did was for the future.

On the evening of the birth of this child stars signaled the worth of this birth and every moment that was to follow. Moments were chronicled, moments like first steps, first words, and the opening of a first book. The combination of all elements in this book were to lift him up. But . . .

There will not always be affirmation in this world. Your name, the way you dress, how you complete your schoolwork, and how you and others like you are viewed will have you questioning your value. You will ponder. You will doubt.

Then this precious child is reminded about those from whom he came. He is reminded about the depth of their accomplishments and character. He is reminded of the night he was born and how the stars shone. He is reminded that since the beginning of the beginning he and a multitude of others before and after him have always mattered.

Every carefully chosen word of author Tami Charles works toward a loving whole. She desires readers of this book to know they are important regardless of anything else they may see, hear, or read. She, sentence by sentence, fashions a verbal representation of this truth. By repeating specific words from the beginning of her narrative on the final pages she brings us full circle. Here is a passage.
musica blasting through barrios, all because you matter.
How could you not love the child featured on the front of the open dust jacket? Look at that beautiful face, so full of promise. A collage of petals frame either side of him. Illustrator Bryan Collier states in a note he begins with a single petal symbolizing a beginning and layers these to create blossoms. You can see faces in some of them. These depict those who have always believed you matter.

The collage of petals continues to the left of the spine, on the back of the dust jacket. It makes a valley in the center of the page. Across the starry sky, a single star streaks from left to right.

On the book case an interior image is expanded. It conveys a time when the child speculates on whether he will ever have value. He thinks this as his Pop Pop prays for those children gone:
Philando.
On the opening and closing endpapers the collage of petals in various hues of blue form a canvas. They are replete with stars. On the first a single star speeds from left to right on the right side. On the second a moon hangs on the left side, a sliver beginning to show. Petals in a wallpaper pattern with blues and purple form a background for the verso and title pages.

created with collage and Winsor & Newton watercolor paint on 300lb. Arches watercolor paper

usually spanning two pages, with a portion left for a column for text, is a glorious representation and enhancement of the text. The color palette is luminous. The faces on the people are exquisite. You expect them to walk off the pages. Each element in these pictures is a meticulously placed piece.

One of my many, many favorite illustrations is toward the beginning of the book. The picture covers the entire left side, crosses the gutter and fills the left side of the right half. The text appears on the wallpaper-textured right side. The illustration features an African tribal chieftain with his left arm raised, fist clenched. His face reflects calm, purpose, and strength. Fanning to the left, above, and right of him are layers of petals, many of them have their tips folded down. There are many patterns, colors, and people on them. On the far left is a golden sky, hills, and pyramids. On the right is the starry sky with the silver of moon.

Thinking about this book, you cannot imagine a better pairing than this author and illustrator. For All Because You Matter written by Tami Charles with artwork by Bryan Collier, each one of them painstakingly added words and brush strokes and collage to make this stunning book for children, their parents and other adults who hold them in great affection. At the close of the book both Tami Charles and Bryan Collier include notes for readers. This book comes with my highest recommendation for your personal and professional collections. (I am adding my accolades to many others, professional and personal.)

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In the first meeting with my first principal in my first school, something he said has stayed with me for more than four decades. This was the first year for this principal in this building. He looked at an over-abundance of new staff seated around the conference table.

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As this picture book love letter to Black children everywhere opens, a couple anticipates the birth of their child. "You were dreamed of," reads author Tami Charles' text, "like a knapsack full of wishes, carried on the backs of your ancestors." Even the sky knows that this child's life will matter, as we see a star shoot across the sky in the baby's honor, a precursor of the celestial symbolism that fills the book. We follow these same parents, particularly the boy's mother, as we read about the milestones in the child's life-the baby's first steps and words, as well as his first encounter with a book, one that mirrors the boy's own skin color and "dreams."

As the boy grows older, he begins to encounter and question racism, from microaggressions in his classroom to injustice and brutality he sees on the news. In one spread, he sits with his grandfather watching reports of widespread protests. But page after page depicts the boy being loved and supported by his family, and depicts his family reminding him of his self-worth.

Illustrator Bryan Collier incorporates proud Black faces into his remarkably textured collages and employs flower petals as a recurring motif. In a closing note, Collier writes that these petal shapes are influenced by his grandmother, a quilter who partly raised him. "Did you know that you are the earth?" reads a spread as a flower blooms behind the boy, Black faces from both past and the present looking out from vividly colored petals.

Charles weaves connections between Black children today and the ancestors who came before them. Boldly, beautifully and cosmologically, it also connects them to the very creation of the universe itself, driving home how strongly the "strength, power, and beauty" of their lives matter. All Because You Matter is a powerful, poetic manifesto that is required reading for every family in America.

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Book Review - All Because You Matter by Bryan Collier

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As this picture book love letter to Black children everywhere opens, a couple anticipates the birth of their child. "You were dreamed of," reads author Tami Charles' text, "like a knapsack full of wishes, carried on the backs of your ancestors."

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This is a guest post from Tami Charles, the author of the upcoming picture book All Because You Matter, illustrated by Bryan Collier.

All Because You Matter is a lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and Brown children everywhere: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always mattered, and they always will. Tami penned a love letter to her son, below.

Let's kick off this post with a classic picture of the kid and I, shall we?

(photo credit: Robert Piazza)

Pretend I'm not there and zoom in. A little more. A tiny bit more.

Take a look at this child. The sparkle in those big, brown eyes. You see that sly little smile?

That thing has turned me into a human puddle more times than I can count!

Now zoom out. Keep going. A little more. There....

Look at my smile. See the joy? So luminous you could almost hear it in a whisper:

This is mama's baby boy.

Behind that smile, behind that joy, lurks something invisible. . .almost pensive. . .

How do I freeze time?

A universal question for all parents, I'd say. Unfortunately, time waits for no one.

Allow me to introduce you to the child who dareth grow before my eyes, even though I've forbidden him to do so.

Christopher Sebastian Charles.

Boy wonder.

Scholar.

Athlete.

Tech geek.

Annoyer of my soul. (at times)

Destroyer of Pringles,

freshly painted walls,

and Doritos.

Maker of slime,

pillow forts,

and Tik Tok videos.

Christopher Sebastian Charles matters so much to me.

I imagine you, too, know what this feels like. To love someone so much, you could literally feel

it in every cell of your body. To know all the ways someone matters to you. Be it your child, your student, a friend, or family member.

This feeling, this recognition of a child's worth, is what connects you and me. Isn't it beautiful to know?

As our children grow, may I ask a favor of you? Let's vow to share moments and stories that show the beauty and the journey of others who are like us, but more importantly, those who are different. This is how we'll create mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors for our children.

In doing so, perhaps we can both smile at the thought of our children meeting one day.

At school. On the basketball court. At the pool. Who knows? Maybe they will even become friends.

Because I need to know that as Christopher navigates the world,

he'll be safe in the hands of allies who will love and respect him.

I promise I will raise my son in such a way that he knows his worth. . .and yours, too.

May I ask the same of you?

More about All Because You Matter:

Part love letter, part anthem, All Because You Matter reassures readers that their matter and their worth is never diminished, no matter the circumstance: through the joy and wonder of their first steps and first laughter, through the hardship of adolescent struggles and the pain and heartbreak of current events, they always have, and always will, matter. Accompanied by illustrations by renowned artist Bryan Collier, a four-time Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner or honoree, All Because You Matter is for the picture book audience what The Hate U Give was for YA and Ghost Boys was for middle grade: a conversation starter, a community touchstone, and a deep affirmation of worth for the young readers who need it most.

Click here to learn more.

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All Because You Matter: A Love Letter to Black and Brown Children From Tami Charles

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This is a guest post from Tami Charles, the author of the upcoming picture book All Because You Matter, illustrated by Bryan Collier. All Because You Matter is a lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and Brown children everywhere: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always mattered, and they always will.

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All Because You Matter

by Tami Charles, illus. by Bryan Collier

Tami Charles, author of picture books Freedom Soup (illus. by Jacqueline Alcántara) and Fearless Mary (illus. by Clair Almon), collaborates on her third picture book, All Because You Matter, with Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner and four-time Caldecott Honoree Bryan Collier. A story that identifies the importance of our ancestors as well as our present and future selves, All Because You Matter tackles topics such as bullying, racial profiling and the discovery of one's identity. Charles's graceful text and Collier's evocative illustrations work together to make conversations about these topics easier to have with children.

All Because You Matter begins with a Black couple awaiting the birth of their child. They lovingly place their hands on the mother's belly: "They say that matter is all things that make up the universe: energy, stars, space.... If that's the case, then you, dear child, matter." Long before this child's birth, his ancestors dreamed of him "like a knapsack full of wishes, carried on [their] backs as they created empires, pyramids, legacies." In Collier's vibrant collage and watercolor illustrations, parts of the ancestor's faces--an eye, a mouth--can be viewed. While the individuals featured are a mystery, it is easily understood that what they have dreamed of, fought for and built was all in service of the child who is about to be born.

A shooting star announces the child's birth, and the page turn shows his first steps, happiness on his mother's face as she watches her son accomplish this feat. She smiles with arms outstretched, watching her "hobbling, wobbling, toppling" son. The mother and child share other firsts together, including his first words and the first time she reads him a story that has characters with the "same hair, same skin, same dreams" as him: "a mirror staring back at you," she calls it. As the mother and son read together, they are transported to faraway places; she continues to read books that feature characters like him to show him that "he matters."

When the child goes to school, he notices his classmates snickering when they hear his name because they think it is difficult to pronounce. In the classroom, a Muslim girl wearing a hijab is the focal point of the illustration, a solemn look on her face. This central image puts the boy in the background, showing that Charles's words go out to all Black children. As the boy grows, he experiences life's standard hardships. He fails a test and questions his worth. An aerial view shows the child slumped at his desk, head in hands, red x's on the paper in front of him. The perspective highlights his smallness, the ridges of his spine, depicting vulnerability. "You'll see a letter, big, bold, red on the page, and you will question if you, your work, and your effort matter."

When the child spends time with Pop Pop, he notices the injustices in the world. The videos on TV are of people taking a stand, taking a knee, marching and protesting for the rights of people that look just like him. With eyes closed, a collage of people protesting in the background, he hears "Pop Pop's whispered prayers, as another name is called: Trayvon, Tamir, Philando, and you wonder if they, or you, will ever matter." With the next page turn, the collage of ancestors returns behind a portrait of the boy, partial faces of men and women in hues of blue, yellow, green and red--a reminder that this child was thought of and prayed for long ago.

Charles's lyrical text describes the emotional relationship of BIPOC parents to their children: the hopes, the dreams, the fears, the realities. The list of names of innocent Black people killed through police violence shows not only a parent's fear and anger but also a child's understanding--they are thinking about who they are, and wondering if their lives have meaning. Charles's repeated calls to the ancestors and use of the word "matter" drive home the idea that Black children are born with purpose and hope--even when children make mistakes, their lives still matter. Collier's signature watercolor and collage images use white (but most certainly not blank) space powerfully, leaving room for Charles's text while still allowing for numerous double-page spread illustrations. His realistic drawing of the young boy--with big brown eyes and skin, long eyelashes and a fade haircut--makes the child come alive. Throughout, Collier uses a single flower petal shape "to build a blossoming effect in all backgrounds." This serves as a reminder that the lives of BIPOC children and their ancestors are not a mistake--those who have been born and lived before us both rooted for successive generations and also root us in time, history and family. Collier even directly connects the child in this book to his ancestor David Drake by focusing a double-page spread on Black hands in much the same manner as he did in his Caldecott-honored Dave the Potter. Like a garden, the ancestors bloom around the boy, shouting "you matter." -- Kharissa Kenner

Orchard Books, $17.99, hardcover, 40p., ages 4-8, 9781338574852, October 8, 2020

Tami Charles: A Gift for Those Who Come After Us

Author Tami Charles is a former teacher. Her love for writing was sparked when she noticed a need for more diverse books. Her books include the middle-grade novel Like Vanessa and the picture book Freedom Soup. Shelf Awareness spoke with Charles about writing for her son, her purpose in the world and the message she hopes to spread with All Because You Matter (available October 6 from Orchard Books).
How did the story of All Because You Matter come about?
This story was born from love and a deep desire to keep my son, Christopher, little forever, which I think most parents can relate to! I wanted to keep him shielded from the cruelties of the world. But as he grew older and had questions about injustices against people of color, I needed to do something. What better way than to write Christopher a love letter to remind him of all the reasons why he matters to me, and to the world?

I took all of the words I had bottled up during the years of watching him grow, and I put them into a poem. The words for All Because You Matter came to me in a dream, and the art is masterfully done by Bryan Collier.

My son and I have used All Because You Matter as a springboard for many productive, yet sometimes uncomfortable conversations. As his mom, it's my job to nourish Christopher's curiosity. Writing this book has given him permission to put it on full display. It is my hope that it does the same for all families.
Your son is the model for the young boy in the story.
All Because You Matter is as much Christopher's book as it is mine and Bryan's. So you can imagine his delight when he received an invitation from Bryan to do a photo shoot for the book. That was worth missing a day of school! Christopher's image on the cover and throughout the entire story is a gift to our family. This kid will have bragging rights for years to come!
Like the young boy in the story, have you ever questioned your own existence in the world?
I'm a full-grown adult, and I still sometimes question my place in the world. For those reasons, I strongly feel that this is a book for everyone, with a message that we all need to hear. We matter. Children matter, especially.

For the times when my confidence has slipped and I questioned my purpose, I was instantly reminded of it when I would see my son thrive in school, or when I saw my book in young readers' hands and the joy it sparked on their faces. We all have a gift to leave those who will come after us--something to remind us of the very reason why we exist. This book will be my offering.
There are words of other languages in the story such as "barrios" and "Mahal kita." What is the significance of the use of those languages?
Oh, trust me, I wanted to use even more world languages in the text! Picture book word counts can be restrictive, alas. I'm a lover of languages, culture and travel. I also come from a multicultural family. Seeing different parts of the world has truly opened my eyes to the fullness of what it means to be human, but particularly, a person of color. Diversity is a beautiful thing and I aim to show that in my work because it represents who I am and the family and friends I surround myself with.

In All Because You Matter, my hope is to honor children of color and the diverse backgrounds from which they come. The phrase "Mahal kita" (meaning "I love you" in Tagalog) is from the Philippines. To my ear, the words literally sound like love. "Barrio" and "montañas" are Spanish for "neighborhood" and "mountains," each word representing beauty and strength.

I use multiple languages in this text to show that BIPOC are not a monolith. We are multi-dialectal, multifaceted, a full-spectrum rainbow of experiences and talents to share with the world.
What is the message you hope adults and children will receive from reading All Because You Matter?
My first hope is that when readers are done with the book, they are compelled to turn back to the first page. Read it again. Find something new. A hidden gem in the art? A stanza that resonates with you? Think deeply about how the message applies to your life, no matter your race or background. Is it a love letter that you wish to share with someone special in your life? Is it a call-to-action that maybe you, as a teacher/adult/ally, want to use to spark deep, healthy conversation about race? Whatever feeling this book leaves you with, share it with others. Spread the message widely to those who need it most. -- Kharissa Kenner

Bryan Collier: The Power of Art

Bryan Collier is the author of Uptown, winner of the 2001 Coretta Scott King Illustration Award and 2001 Ezra Jack Keats Award for New Illustrator and the Marion Vannett Ridgeway Award for a first-time author and illustrator. Collier also received a 2002 Caldecott Honor for Martin's Big Words by Doreen Rappaport. Originally from rural Maryland, Collier now calls Harlem home. His love for art led him not only to a career as an author and illustrator but also as a director for Harlem Horizon Art Studio, an art program designed for young people based out of Harlem Hospital. Shelf Awareness spoke with Collier about the practical and metaphorical aspects of creating All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, available October 6 from Orchard Books.
How did you and author Tami Charles work together on this book?
After a few initial meetings, I knew I wanted Tami and her son to be the stars of this project, so we got together and did a photo shoot in a library.
Why did you choose to use watercolor and collage for this project?
I like watercolor and collage as a medium because collage itself is a metaphor for taking fragments or separate moments and constructing or piecing them together to create something whole or complete.
The use of partial faces as representation for the ancestors is profound. How did you come up with that idea?
The faces or voices represent our present selves, as well as ancestors. This serves as a reminder that we never walk into a room alone, they all come with us.
The fade on the young boy stands out. Is there a reason why you chose that hairstyle?
That high-top fade brought back some memories. But it was what Christian was sporting, so he and Tami get the credit for that great look.
Why is All Because You Matter an essential story?
All Because You Matter is literally happening right outside our windows and has been happening for years. This book speaks to injustice, police brutality, equality--all those difficult yet necessary conversations that we must have with our children to remind them that they are important. We are important. -- Kharissa Kenner

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Monday, August 31, 2020: Kids' Maximum Shelf: All Because You Matter

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by Tami Charles, illus. by Bryan Collier Tami Charles, author of picture books Freedom Soup (illus. by Jacqueline Alcántara) and Fearless Mary (illus. by Clair Almon), collaborates on her third picture book, All Because You Matter, with Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner and four-time Caldecott Honoree Bryan Collier.

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This is a guest post from Tami Charles, the author of the upcoming picture book All Because You Matter, illustrated by Bryan Collier.

All Because You Matter is a lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and Brown children everywhere: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always matter, and they always will. Tami wrote this note for readers, educators, and parents to share her inspiration behind the book and why it means so much to her and will hopefully mean a lot to so many others. Read it below.

On the day my son, Christopher Sebastian, was born, he became the center of my universe. Sun-kissed skin, dreamy brown eyes, and a gentle "coo" that could turn me into a human puddle. Ever since his birth, it has been my greatest wish to hold him in the space of first steps, first words, first books. But time waits for no one.

As Christopher grew, so grew my own fears as a mother. I wanted to keep my little boy shielded from the cruelties of the world. But whenever I would turn on the news, I would see the same story line repeated as countless young Black men and women were taken away too soon.

In my son's early years, it was easy to avoid discussing the injustices against people of color. But soon, the questions came: Why did they assassinate Dr. King? Why won't you let me play with my Nerf guns outside? Time was up.

I knew I needed to have The Big Talk with my son. The one where I tell him that while there are many nice people in the world, not everyone is. And that sometimes people will treat others unfairly because of their skin color, race, or religion.

I wrote All Because You Matter to provide parents with a starting point for conversations about the racial climate in our country today. These are issues that should be discussed in all families, of all backgrounds, if we are to raise empathetic future leaders.

I also wrote this book to remind all children, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, that no matter where they come from, they matter. That the people who came before them, and the work that they did to secure the life we have today, matter. Because of this, our children must continue that work and carry themselves with pride, even when they experience moments in which they are made to feel unimportant.

I will not raise Christopher to walk in fear. And while I don't have the answers for how we can "fix" racial injustice, I can begin with this book-a loving tribute to the greatness that lives within my beautiful, brown-hued, brown-eyed boy and within all children, of all colors, everywhere . . . YOU MATTER!

More about All Because You Matter:

Part love letter, part anthem, All Because You Matter reassures readers that their matter and their worth is never diminished, no matter the circumstance: through the joy and wonder of their first steps and first laughter, through the hardship of adolescent struggles and the pain and heartbreak of current events, they always have, and always will, matter. Accompanied by illustrations by renowned artist Bryan Collier, a four-time Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner or honoree, All Because You Matter is for the picture book audience what The Hate U Give was for YA and Ghost Boys was for middle grade: a conversation starter, a community touchstone, and a deep affirmation of worth for the young readers who need it most.

Below watch Tami and her son Chris, unbox their finished copies of the book below:

Click here to learn more about All Because You Matter.

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A Note From All Because You Matter Author Tami Charles

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This is a guest post from Tami Charles, the author of the upcoming picture book All Because You Matter, illustrated by Bryan Collier. All Because You Matter is a lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and Brown children everywhere: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always matter, and they always will.

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Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration

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Topics Covered: Joy, BIPOC Narratives, Black Joy, Brown Joy, Friendship, Love, Family, Own Voices, Disability Representation, Mobility Aid Representation, Hearing Aids, Vitiligo, Hijab, Muslim Girls.

Summary:

This book is stunning, the definition of Brown Joy. I'm completely obsessed already and read the book twice immediately after opening it. The story itself has a handful of narrators, and is written in lyrical prose much like I Am Brown and From Tan to Tamarind. The narrators fully embody happiness and comfortability in their own skin, exuberantly taking on a multitude of situations throughout the story.

And can we just talk about these illustrations for a moment?? Kaylani Juanita illustrated one of my favorite books, When Aidan Became a Brother, and has possibly outdone herself with her work between these book covers. You can practically hear the giggles tumbling out of the characters mouths and flowing off of the pages into the air entirely. The representation is exquisite. A father and his daughter going on a hike, but she has both a cane and a service dog. A pair of siblings at a fair, a family at the beach. But nothing is point out about mobility devices or hearing aids, they purely exist as representation of the beautiful world we live in. THESE are the normalizations in stories that we need, unadulterated Black and Brown joy full of self-esteem and confidence being explained with SAT-worthy vocabulary. I truly love this book, it's described on the cover as a celebration but it's so much more than that. The conviviality conveyed in this picture book draws on the strength of family, ancestors, friendship, and finding the everyday jubilance in our lives.

This book was generously sent to us by Tilbury House Publishers, but all opinions are our own!

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Written By: Samara Cole Doyon Illustrated by: Kaylani Juanita For Ages: 4-8 years Language: English Topics Covered: Joy, BIPOC Narratives, Black Joy, Brown Joy, Friendship, Love, Family, Own Voices, Disability Representation, Mobility Aid Representation, Hearing Aids, Vitiligo, Hijab, Muslim Girls. Summary: This book is stunning, the definition of Brown Joy.

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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One of the criteria for the Caldecott Medal is excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept. One look at Derrick Barnes's and Gordon C. James's I Am Every Good Thing and it is clear that the theme of the book is love for Black boys.

One of the criteria for the Caldecott Medal is excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept. One look at Derrick Barnes's and Gordon C. James's I Am Every Good Thing and it is clear that the theme of the book is love for Black boys.

The cover of the book has a young Black boy with his arms across his chest, legs spread, and a backpack on his back. He confidently stares at the reader. There are reddish-orange rays behind him that feel like a spotlight. The end pages are monochromatic oil paintings that depict Black boys of all shades, sizes, and hair textures. Some are laughing. Some are serious.

The first page depicts a young boy flying through the sky. The brown, red, and tan of his blanket cape look like the feathers of a bird. The smile on his face expresses his joy at his flight. Another image in the book shows a Black boy in a helmet. He is holding his knee with a grimace on his face. One the next page, he is on skateboard trying to do a trick. The following page has a another Black boy looking into a microscope. Behind him is a pink, green, blue, and orange sky that could easily be seen as the organism that he is examining in his microscope. The sky darkens into purples and dark blues onto the following page and becomes outer space. This time the young boy is in a space suit floating above Earth.

Several pages in, there are six Black boys. Two of them are blowing big pink bubbles. Brightly colored swirls on a green background represent the movements of the paper airplanes they are throwing. They are different shades of brown and have varying hairstyles and textures. One of my favorite images is one of a little boy in a red sweatshirt with a fireball in the middle, jeans, and brightly colored sneakers. His arms are spread wide and he has big smile on his face. The bright yellow behind him makes it feel like he was jumping high or maybe he was thrown up into the air by big brother or a dad. Later pages show Black boys swimming, performing at a concert, playing basketball with dad. Other images show Black boys hugging little sisters and being hugged by an adult.

In one of the final spreads, a group of Black boys is foregrounded. Again, they are varying shades of brown. Behind them are African men in tribal clothes. One man carries a basket on his head with what looks like cotton. There also looks to be a Black cowboy. There is a Pullman porter. Another image looks like Huey Newton with his fist in the air in a Black Power salute. Next to him is Thurgood Marshall and Barack Obama. These young men are surrounded by the ancestors that have paved the way for them and will guide them as they grow.
[Read the Horn Book Magazine review of I Am Every Good Thing here]
The Black boy joy depicted in this book is so necessary, given the constant assault on the minds, bodies, and spirits of Black people. The images of Black boys participating in activities like swimming, skateboarding, and spending time in the woods are necessary to dispel the myth that Black boys don't do these things. Seeing Black boys for the children that they are - and not the menaces that they are often depicted as - is refreshing and welcome. Looking at these boys, I see my cousins, my brothers, my nephews. I see the young men I worked with when I was teaching. I am reminded of their brilliance and beauty. Gordon C. James's art clearly says: I love you. I see you. You matter to all Black boys.

James won a Caldecott Honor for Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. Can he do it again?

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Calling Caldecott | I Am Every Good Thing

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One of the criteria for the Caldecott Medal is excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept. One look at Derrick Barnes's and Gordon C. James's I Am Every Good Thing and it is clear that the theme of the book is love for Black boys.

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There are many ways one could enter this (singular, spectacular, heartstopping) book - All Because You Matter, written by Tami Charles and illustrated by Bryan Collier - but I can't imagine starting anywhere other than with the face on the cover. Has a book jacket ever boasted an image so strong, so tender, or so radiant?

There are many ways one could enter this (singular, spectacular, heartstopping) book, but I can't imagine starting anywhere other than with the face on the cover. Has a book jacket ever boasted an image so strong, so tender, or so radiant? A portrait of a young boy's face is encompassed by shingled collage petal shapes, set against a celestial background. Illustrator Bryan Collier describes the faces that appear in the petals as "the voices of ancestors chanting: 'You matter,'" and with each individual jot of the boy's head of hair, the slight asymmetry of his face, the delicately captured philtrum, and the shadows on his neck, Collier joins that chorus.

Maybe it's a consequence of lingering over these illustrations for so long, but I see their creation play out in a stop-motion film. It all starts with one indigo blue, star-studded petal, then a few more, and then the little pile of petals splaying out as if blossoming. The cut-paper petals overlap with each other more and more until the endpapers become a deep night sky. A flash of white across the sky - a shooting star - signals the birth of a baby.

On the pages that anticipate the child's birth, the petals continue to shift. After filling the dark sky behind the expectant parents, the petals are swept together in bright, bold piles and then spread onto a work surface, where they are assembled into a collage by three sets of hands. We see eyes, noses, and lips on the petals, faces suggested by the text: "Long before you took your place in this world, you were dreamed of, like a knapsack full of wishes, carried on the backs of your ancestors."

These collages - which, Collier explains in his illustrator's note, connect directly to the influence of his grandmother, a quilt-maker who helped raise him - continue to transform and visually narrate the story of the ancestors who underpin this child and the value of his life. As the baby learns to walk, they take on the gentle, swirling pattern of the wallpaper in his nursery. When the boy finds someone who looks like him in a book, they rise up, almost translucent, like steam off the pages. As he grows and endures troubles that threaten his sense of self-worth - being made fun of, getting bad grades, and ultimately hearing news of other Black children being murdered - the petals literally support him, forming the carpet beneath him and the walls behind him. Late in the book, that support is visually mirrored by living people, holding hands and encircling the boy and his parents. We're invited to see ourselves in the petals, to consider the responsibilities we all have to care for each other.

When I share this book with young children, a question that often comes up is: "Do I matter?" This is followed by a clarification: "Do I matter like that?" The students are responding to the inarguable depth of the heritage, the love that is shown visually to precede and follow this child. The rich and poetic text of this book provides, in author Tami Charles's words, a "starting point for conversations about the racial climate in our country today," but it's through Collier's watercolor and collage masterpieces that the book becomes a visual experience that communicates the essence of mattering, particularly how the life of this Black boy matters.
[Read the Horn Book Magazine review of All Because You Matter here]
When I think about the Caldecott criteria addressing "excellence in presentation to a child audience," I can't help but think of a moment with my students in a meeting of our mock Caldecott committee when, reading this book and noticing that time was running short, I picked up the pace and ended up rushing the page that reads, "Did you know that you were born from queens, chiefs, legends? Did you know that you are the earth? That strength, power, and beauty lie within you?" As I promptly flipped the page - the one that holds the cover image - to finish the book in time, a child piped up, "Can we stop here? Those are the most powerful words I've ever heard." I asked him to say more, and he said, shocked that I needed any more explanation, "'You were born from legends? You are the earth? I mean, that's pretty powerful!" Then another child chimed in to build on this, connecting the collage in the background to this text by saying, "And I see the people who came before him backing him up."

But the criterion that always feels the weightiest to me is the one enjoining "excellence in pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept." The way that All Because You Matter fulfills and soars above this criterion feels like something out of a Caldecott dream. Thinking about the urgency this particular subject holds and imagining a generation of readers taking in this "pictorial interpretation" of what it is for a Black boy to matter affirms my immeasurable belief in what a picture book can achieve. I hope the Caldecott committee will recognize the visual triumph this book has achieved - and is achieving with each member of its audience that is seeing it at this critical moment - and, at last, award Bryan Collier his first Caldecott Medal.

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Calling Caldecott | All Because You Matter

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There are many ways one could enter this (singular, spectacular, heartstopping) book - All Because You Matter, written by Tami Charles and illustrated by Bryan Collier - but I can't imagine starting anywhere other than with the face on the cover. Has a book jacket ever boasted an image so strong, so tender, or so radiant?

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Discover this poignant, timely, and emotionally stirring picture book, an ode to black and brown children everywhere that is full of hope, assurance, and love. Tami Charles pens a poetic, lyrical text that is part love letter, part anthem, assuring readers that they always have, and always will, matter. This powerful, rhythmic lullaby reassures readers that their matter and their worth is never diminished, no matter the circumstance: through the joy and wonder of their first steps and first laughter, through the hardship of adolescent struggles and the pain and heartbreak of current event...

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Discover this poignant, timely, and emotionally stirring picture book, an ode to black and brown children everywhere that is full of hope, assurance, and love. Tami Charles pens a poetic, lyrical text that is part love letter, part anthem, assuring readers that they always have, and always will, matter.

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Welcome back to our 2021 Caldecott Club! I'm Miss Eti, one of the Youth & Teen Services librarians at Lincolnwood Library. We have come full circle during this, our 4th Caldecott Club, inspired by the fantastic program that Brian Wilson created at Evanston Public Library in 2016. This year we are hosting a collaborative virtual Caldecott Club WITH Mr. Brian and Evanston Public Library. We have been learning so much about how to host this program virtually - and it's been so fun to join together across our community to geek out about gorgeous picture books!

We met together on Zoom on December 7 with a group of wonderful readers, their families, and friends to talk about all things picture books. We were joined by our program buddy, Kevin, and our Evanston Library buddy, Laura. We designed this program to be open to kids from around 1st grade through 8th grade and up 🙂 because picture books are for everybody and everyone can learn from each other. I've tried to recap their brilliance in this post.

We began our program by reviewing what the Caldecott Award is. Mr. Brian shared how it is the award for the most distinguished American picture book for children, given out each year by the Association for Library Service to Children. Thank you to Curt Leppert at Baker & Taylor who has shared print posters with us in years past - and provided this graphic for us to use this year. You can find it in our resources.

Mr. Brian put the books in a cardboard box, so he could dramatically open it just like the grown-up committee does when books arrive in the mail.
The books we discussed in session 2 were:
Honeybee by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade

The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Tina Cho, illustrated by Jess X. Snow

You Matter by Christian Robinson

Picture Walk

Rather than doing a formal read aloud of each book, we did picture walks. For the picture walk, we discussed each book's visual features to examine the techniques the artists used and how they worked. Often we would prompt the group by asking them: What did you notice? What does it make you wonder? How does this page make you feel? What makes this art distinguished? (Shout out to Megan Dowd Lambert's Whole Book Approach. I highly recommend her book, Reading Picture Books with Children: How to Shake Up Storytime and Get Kids Talking about What They See.)

We added to our usual picture walk toolbox by encouraging participants to share and listen in lots of ways. People could unmute themselves and talk, raise their hands, use the chat, and use the reactions - and people did all of these things throughout the program, so ended up having a rich discussion in many places at the same time.
Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann

Mr. Brain began the picture walk by sharing how exceptional Candace Fleming's writing is Honeybee - and definitely encouraging us spend time reading it. (I highly recommend checking out Mr. Brian's Calling Caldecott post!) With only 10 minutes (or so) per book, we sadly did not have time to read it all - but there's always more to explore with picture books. He talked about how Eric Rohmann created detailed and realistic oil paintings to express this informational story. Mr. Brian also shared how the creators made sure to enlist the help of bee and pollination expert Dr. Mark L. Winston to fact-check their text and art to ensure accuracy. He shared that "bees are our friends. It's okay to be nervous around bees, but we need them." (Honeybee could be wonderfully paired with The Thing About Bees: A Love Letter by Eric-Shabazz Larkin.) He helped us think critically about perspective as Eric Rohmann shows small parts of Apis and gradually reveals her cell and bee community to show her very busy life. He also talked about how Candace Fleming builds anticipation for flying while Apis does all the things. Our group definitely noticed how realistic the art is in Honeybee.

Here are some of their great comments:

"I think they look pretty real from the illustrating."

"The lighting makes the bees look really real, with the shading in the colors."

"They are scientifically real."

"The little details make it look real."

"The hair texture makes it feel like I could FEEL it.

"Whoah... that literally looks like a movie scene."

"This book shows you a lot of the bee's life."

"The pollen in its hair is EXTREMELY REALISTIC, it's almost scary."

Our Caldecott Club was entranced by the cinematic way Apis's story is told. We, of course, had to film the dramatic page turn to open up the gatefold and see Apis flying. Mr. Brian talked about how the color palette and shapes change as she encounters the outside world.

This book also provoked personal connections from stories of ways people have helped bees to stories of being stung (ouch!). It also inspired some great scientific questions about dying queens, bee language and communication, and their life cycle. I was particularly charmed when we talked about bees dancing - and participants did their own wiggly bee dance in response. Outstanding picture books should make us all dance.
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade

I (Eti) began our discussion by asking, "how is water important to you in your daily life?" People shared different answers from drinking, bathing, hydration, keeping us alive, hygiene like hand washing and teeth brushing and watering plants. S. added "soaking when I am weary." This helped frame our discussion thinking about our relationship to water.

We talked about how this book is based on Indigenous-led movements to protect our water and land, specifically the water protectors at Standing Rock. I was able to share some of the research that Michaela Goade did to honor those who were there, including showing photographs of water protectors and Indigenous art, thanks to attending the ALSC Institute this past fall.

We began our picture walk through We are Water Protectors and it was clear our group was engrossed in this beautiful book. They were engaged by the art style, which C. said, "I think the art style is as if it were carved in stone..." The vivid watercolors absolutely draw in readers - and I only wish the digital version could do it justice. Looking at the image about coming from water, L. & S. noted, "it seems like the circle of life." Michaela Goade's use of circles, curves, and waves throughout the book effectively show the circular nature of water - and our relationship to it. Our group had much to say on the startling spread predicting the damage the black snake would unleash.

One reader remarked, "It's (the oil) spilling into the water - and it makes me ashamed for some humans that did it." We talked about how the illustration shows the animals running away from the pipeline that is destroying their home. C. suggested, "The goose on the right is deformed which maybe symbolizes what the "snake" will do to animals." Another person shared, "I don't like it because it's trying to destroy their home." Our group had very strong reactions to the black snake, which shows the effectiveness of Michaela Goade's art and Carole Lindstrom's powerful words. On the red spread with just the pipeline snake, L. & S. said, "It seems angry and evil." I love how C. noticed, "it makes the tree over there die," which I had literally never noticed before.

But our attention was not focused on the extraction industry, but on the water protectors banding together. We immediately talked about how beautifully "strong and determined," the girl looks as she urges us to take courage. Y. said, "she is determined and her hair-water has animals and plants," helping us see how the water grows stronger in her hair as she rallies her people.

We talked about the shift in perspective as the book focuses on how she fights for the creatures, animals, and plants who cannot speak for themselves, leading to the dramatic page turn when we are looking down at the earth.

One participant said, "it shows all the animals together around the earth, in the earth, plants and water." L. added, "the animals and people are together fighting against the snake." We talked about how this image shows how interconnected we all are, as the text declares, "we are all related." (I love the Earth spread so much!) We talked about the powerful repetition of the refrain," We stand/with our songs/and our drums/we are still here," which gains momentum with each chorus, growing the community of water protectors who are still advocating for the water right now. Finally, we reached the grand finale with the beautiful diverse community of water protectors standing up, youth and Elders together in solidarity. As always, we looked for and found our friend with the eagle feather standing up against the black snake.

I made sure to point out the outstanding back-matter (you know how much I love good back-matter) and the Earth Steward and Water Protector Pledge. (There's a copy of the pledge (and other fantastic educational resources) in our Grab & Go Kits.) I also shared that we were honored to have Carole Lindstrom send us a signed We are Water Protectors poster that we will raffle at our Voting Party in January. Thank you so much, Carole!

Mr. Brian then kindly led us in our movement break where people could get their wiggles out through jumping backs or any other kind of movement that they preferred to get their bodies moving before our next book. It's hard to sit for so long, especially later at night!
The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story by Tina Cho, illustrated by Jess X. Snow

We began our picture walk by talking about how Jess X. Snow created the art digitally with hand-painted textures and line work. Accordion to Jess X. Snow, "The Ocean Calls was created through drawings made with Procreate with the apple pencil on the iPad, which is the preferred medium that I use for illustration work these days. After the inking was done, these drawings were then colored in digitally with watercolor and gouache brushes, and then sent into photoshop, where I then layered it with hand-made textures of paper, and textures of real rocks, underwater, bubbles, and sand." How cool is that! It's also worth noting that Jess worked collaboratively with Yuan Zheng, the primary assistant, who also did the character designs. They also worked with Zoraida Ingles and Sean Devare as assistants to finish the coloring. These collaborators are all named on the copyright page.

We talked about how this book is based on the real-life haenyeo of Jeju Island in South Korea, Korea's southernmost island, who are professional women divers and marine specialists who understand the sea's ecological environment, passing down their knowledge intergenerationally as they support their families. (There's so much more to discuss and explore in the incredible back-matter, of course...) I was able to share some awesome images that Jess X. Snow shared during a recent Facebook Live storytime with Tina Cho that I highly recommend watching. It's clear that they put so much care and attention into crafting each illustration and ensuring the haenyeo were respectfully and accurately depicted.

We began our journey by talking about Dayeon's feelings wanting to be a "treasure-hunting mermaid" like her grandmother juxtaposed with the scary experience she had in the water last summer. We talked about how the visuals express Dayeon's worry about diving with her grandmother. One reader shared, "She feels worried that it's gonna happen again." We noted how her grandmother helps her develop the skills needed to dive, practicing breathing and ensuring her gear is on correctly. This book uses mermaid imagery throughout the book, so I told our group to make sure to look for it. They noticed their mermaid-shadows in the field of canola flowers.

We talked about how the art almost works like animation or a comic to show Dayeon's progression into the water. Our group thought about what they would do if they were called to the ocean with the grandmother. We talked about how the art shows the grandmother supporting Dayeon and taking each step in the process gradually and carefully. When they finally dive, we noticed the continual mermaid imagery from the mermaid in the background to the fins in the bubbles.

We experienced a magical page turn when they finally head into the underwater world of treasures, the color palette shifting to show more purples, reds and oranges. A reader pointed out, "I like the dolphins - they look so cool. It's just really pretty. I don't think there's real purple water, but it's really pretty." We talked about how Jess X. Snow used a surreal fantastical palette to make this experience feel magical and full of possibility.

As the sun sets, we experienced another perspective shift to view of the boat of haenyeo from above, with the mermaids in the water - and Dayeon feeling "at home in the sea.. Like a mermaid, like a true haenyeo." We then marveled at the awesome back-matter to check out later - and the gorgeous bird's eye view of Jeju Island as the end paper.
You Matter by Christian Robinson

Mr. Brian shared how Christian Robinson's art is playful and whimsical and wonderful, using acrylic paint and collage to create the art. He shared that this book explores shifting perspectives and points of view. We began our picture walk with a girl looking into a microscope, noticing the shapes and textures of the collage. Mr. Brian shared how the illustration shows the sea creature swimming against the tide, going its own way. We then go back to prehistoric times with creatures coming up from the water, charting our long history. We then zoom in on the mosquito being a mosquito, pulling back on the big reveal biting the t-rex.

We then see the bigger picture of the asteroid hitting the Earth as the dinosaurs running. Our perspective shifts even more as we zoom out into outer space.

We talked about the astronaut is missing someone on Earth and immediately the perspective shifts to an apartment building on Earth with a child holding a rocket. Our group suggested that the child might be the astronaut's kid, showing the interconnectedness within the story. This book calls us to notice all the little details! The busy street can make us feel lost and alone, but Mr. Brian pointed out that on the next page, they're together again with the dog. We talked about the oldest thing on the "old and young" page, thinking about the ancient tree. When we looked at the people feeding the pigeons, Mr. Brian pointed out it paralleled the creature coming out from the ocean in the beginning, repeating the same text, coming full circle. When we looked at "the small stuff too small to see," Mr. Brian made us think about all the small creatures all around us.

Our perspective shifted to be in an airplane looking down at the city streets we've been exploring - and then we're looking down from the point of view of the airplane. It seems really simple but everything is connected together. As Christian Robinson has said, "You matter simply because you're here because you exist."

Did you know that you can get a You Matter bookmark in our Grab & Go Kits?

Make sure to check out Making Space with Christian Robinson! We did the activity below in our summer Junior Justice League session and it was exactly what our hearts needed.

VOTING!

After we had walked through each book in a whirlwind of color and conversation, we were ready to vote. This year, since we met virtually, I created a google form for people to vote for their first and second choice. (If you're interested in the technical details, I downloaded the results into an spreadsheet, changed the 1s to 3s (since 1st place gets 3 points, 2 gets 2) and then added up the totals. I then was able to screenshare to show how we got our results for full transparency.
And the Session 2 Winners Are...
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade

The Ocean Calls by Tina Cho, illustrated by Jess X. Snow

Join Us Next Time!

Please join us for our next Caldecott Club session on January 4, 2021 from 7:00-8:15pm CST, where we will pick our final 2 books to go to our Voting Party! You can pick up a free Grab & Go Program Kit at Lincolnwood Library in our Great Green Box or contact me to pick up a kit. You can also access our digital Grab & Go Kit at https://bit.ly/3pIi0QJ. Check out what's in our program kit in the video below!

Since you've spent all this time reading this post, I'll even let you know which books we'll be discussing. You can even watch us share the reveals below:

All Because You Matter by Tami Charles, illustrated by Bryan Collier

Swashby and the Sea by Beth Ferry, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal

Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki

Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

Resources

You can put Caldecott Club books on hold at our libraries here.

I have created a RESOURCE GUIDE with activities, videos, podcasts, program kit supplies, handouts, and more to share the sources we've used and continue the learning! We hope it will be useful for you to explore these books at home - and maybe even create your own Caldecott Club!

But wait, there's more! Make plans to join out Caldecott Club Voting Party on TUESDAY, January 19 where we will pick the winner(s) of our Mock Caldecott. And then, we'll join together to watch selections from the Youth Media Awards on January 25! That's right, it's three Caldecott Club events in January to start 2021 with beautiful picture book celebrations!

Thanks for sticking all the way through this post... I hope to see you next time at Caldecott Club!

- Eti

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Welcome back to our 2021 Caldecott Club! I'm Miss Eti, one of the Youth & Teen Services librarians at Lincolnwood Library. We have come full circle during this, our 4th Caldecott Club, inspired by the fantastic program that Brian Wilson created at Evanston Public Library in 2016.

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While the Caldecott criteria relegate "overall book design" to the very last line, as a reader I almost always start with book design. And I did so with Lift, written by Minh Lê and illustrated by Dan Santat.

I tried to resist Lift, written by Minh Lê and illustrated by Dan Santat - a story of sibling rivalry in which young protagonist Iris feels usurped by her younger brother until she presses a magical elevator button that lets her escape into fantastic adventures. I saw it when it was published in May, and I put it aside. But then, I'd be reading the newspaper over breakfast and the little girl's face, green with sibling jealousy, would cross my mind. The book's haunting cover summoned me with an overgrown, Rousseau-ian forest permeated by a single, off-center vertical beam of light made by the letters L-I-F-T. Clever embossing makes this shaft of light shiny and reflective. And there, centered against the moon and opening a door toward the reader, stands a wide-eyed, pony-tailed girl and her equally amazed cat.

While the Caldecott criteria relegate "overall book design" to the very last line, as a reader I almost always start with book design. That Santat made the jacket design gives it particular importance in this "pictorial presentation" of imagination and escape from family stresses.

Take off the book jacket to find that the paperboard covers develop the story. The front cover is a dark green, a great green room cast in eerie bedtime darkness. The room's furniture balances the composition with a table on the right and the left, some family pictures, a lamp and clock. Things seem stable, except for that unearthly door that seems to pulsate. Light glows from an elevator button taped to the wall. If I were presenting this title at a Caldecott committee discussion, I'd stress the predictive opportunities of this cover. To whom do that fallen teddy bear and ball belong? What's this elevator button got to do with the girl? With magic? Is the door opening or closing?

While the back cover might suggest that the story is over, this one focuses on a threshold and anticipates the book's open ending. Positioned in the forest, the reader looks into the room to see shadowy pictures on the wall, a bookcase, and a mirror image of the dropped teddy bear and abandoned ball. Flip the book over and open it. Rendered in the sepia tones of tinted nostalgic photographs, these endpapers function as the book's first double-page spread. The pony-tailed girl stands at attention on the recto and casts a long shadow into the off-kilter rectangle of brilliant white that crosses the gutter. She dominates the picture space as she looks in wonder into the light in front of her. On the entrance to adventure, this insistent page-turn leads to the title page that depict a spare lobby where a family waits in front of the elevator. Yes, this is the same girl, though she looks much smaller between her parents. Here's the first view of that stuffed tiger, held by her brother. The questions multiply as the connections build.

The next two pages provide establishing shots for days of the week, introduce Iris as first-person narrator, and set up the reading strategies for the panel art. Those reading strategies continue to invite reader engagement. Is the tiger that her brother holds also named Iris? What happens if Iris can't push the elevator button? What does betrayal feel like? What happens when she pushes all the elevator buttons at once? What happens when she tapes the discarded button from the now-fixed elevator to her bedroom wall? The real adventure begins after a cheerful babysitter puts Iris to bed: "DING!"
[Read the Horn Book Magazine review of Lift here]
Throughout Lift, art and text comment on each other as familiar objects appear in the real and imagined worlds, as perspectives change in the art and characters, and as readers are invited to make connections between and across panels, just as Iris makes new emotional connections.

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While the Caldecott criteria relegate "overall book design" to the very last line, as a reader I almost always start with book design. And I did so with Lift, written by Minh Lê and illustrated by Dan Santat.

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The Bookshelf: Inside Illustrator Christian Robinson's Sacramento Studio

If you think back to the books you loved most as a kid, we're betting it's pictures, not words, that first come to mind. Certain images and illustration styles attached to children's books become iconic, and we don't think it's hyperbole to say the works of Christian Robinson are on the icon track. The young illustrator has thirteen books under his belt, and at least the same number of awards and honors, including a pair of Coretta Scott King Award Illustration Honors (Last Stop on Market Street, The Dazzling Life of Josephine Baker), the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year (Leo: A Ghost Story), and a Caldecott Honor. We here at Mother are transparently big fans, and have included his books in numerous roundups, including the Best Children's Books of 2018, Black History Books for Kids, Beautiful Children's Books to Give As Gifts, Books that Inspire Empathy, and many more.

So, when Christian agreed to show us around his sunny, newly renovated studio, located behind his charming Sacramento home, we were beyond excited. He invited us over just days after returning home from a nationwide tour promoting his latest book, -the first that he is credited as both illustrator and author. Below, Christian gets candid about his creative process, his upbringing, and why it's so important to him that little kids see themselves in his books. Click through to see the whole tour!
For more children's books inspiration, check out our previous "The Bookshelf" profiles with authors and illustrators Jon Klassen, Yuyi Morales, and Isabel Sanchez Vegara,
Click any image to enter the slideshow

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Christian Robinson - Photos and Interview

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If you think back to the books you loved most as a kid, we're betting it's pictures, not words, that first come to mind. Certain images and illustration styles attached to children's books become iconic, and we don't think it's hyperbole to say the works of Christian Robinson are on the icon track.

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You Matter, says Christian Robinson, in a freewheeling homage to the power of affirmation.

This interview originally appeared in the May/June 2020Horn Book Magazine as part of the Publishers' Previews: Diversity Five Ways, an advertising supplement that allows participating publishers a chance to each highlight a book from its current list. They choose the books; we ask the questions.

Sponsored by

You Matter, says Christian Robinson, in a freewheeling homage to the power of affirmation.
1. How did you get from evolution to a park bench in the same book?

You could ask Mother Nature; I was taking cues from her. Although I did spend more time highlighting the human moments, which was very human of me. This book was an excuse to draw things that excite me, from the tiniest of organisms like amoebas to the biggest, like the T. rex. But really, it's about perspective and observation. What better place to observe from than a park bench?

2. Do you ever get surprised by your own work?

The pictures in my head rarely turn out the way I imagine. There's an improvisation that needs to happen when I translate an idea to the page. I like to leave space for spontaneity, because that's where the fun is. Also, I make mistakes. Sometimes, I'll illustrate something many times, trying to get it right, only to realize that the most wonky, weird one of the bunch had the most life.

3. How did you describe this book to your editor?

Originally titled Small Problems, the story began as a question posed to life forms throughout time: "What's your problem?" With the help of my editor, Justin Chanda, the book evolved to have a more nurturing, self-empowering vibe.

4. How much fun is cutting out dinosaurs?

I've illustrated books written by many other authors, and not once have they given me the opportunity to draw a prehistoric creature. So, I've been waiting a very long time to cut out dinosaurs, and yes, it is so much fun!

5. Who tells you that you matter?

My grandma, who raised me; my brother, who calls me every day; and my lovely boyfriend, John. This book, however, is about both the "who"s and "what"s that make us feel like we matter. The world would be a different place if we all received that message. It's easy to think, "How can tiny little me matter in such a great big universe?" I think we are being reminded now more than ever that even the small stuff can have a huge impact on our world.

Sponsored by

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Publishers' Preview: Diversity Five Ways: Five Questions for Christian Robinson

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You Matter, says Christian Robinson, in a freewheeling ­homage to the power of affirmation. This interview originally appeared in the May/June 2020Horn Book Magazine as part of the Publishers' Previews: Diversity Five Ways, an advertising supplement that allows participating publishers a chance to each highlight a book from its current list.

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★ "Whimsy, intelligence, and a subtle narrative thread make this rise to the top of a growing list of self-love titles."

- Kirkus Reviews, (starred review_

★ "A profound thought expressed with singular focus and eloquence."

- Publishers Weekly, (starred review)

★ "Robinson...[hints] at the universality of emotions, while validating the individual emotional journey of young readers."

- School Library Journal (starred review)
✱ Buy from IndieBound ✱ Buy from Amazon

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★ "Whimsy, intelligence, and a subtle narrative thread make this rise to the top of a growing list of self-love titles." - Kirkus Reviews, (starred review_ ★ "A profound thought expressed with singular focus and eloquence." - Publishers Weekly, (starred review) ★ "Robinson...[hints] at the universality of emotions, while validating the individual emotional journey of young readers."

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Feeling angry lately? Overwhelmed? How about your kids? Author and illustrator Christian Robinson has created a tool to help young people process powerful emotions through art. In this episode he'll talk about his video series Making Space, and how childhood struggles can be spun into stories.

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‎Parent Trapped: Making Space with Christian Robinson on Apple Podcasts

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‎Feeling angry lately? Overwhelmed? How about your kids? Author and illustrator Christian Robinson has created a tool to help young people process powerful emotions through art. In this episode he'll talk about his video series Making Space, and how childhood struggles can be spun into stories.

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We Are Water Protectors stands out among the books published this year for its importance in our shared culture and for its elegant beauty.

I simply cannot get enough of We Are Water Protectors. It stands out among the books published this year for its importance in our shared culture and for its elegant beauty. Before I ever saw the book, I saw an illustration from one of its pages - the image of a determined young girl, used for one of Kweli's conferences. I instantly fell in love with the artist's striking work, but seeing this one image was only the tip of the iceberg for me.

Water is life. We are all connected. If there are two main takeaways from this book's powerful text, those might be the ones. And what important messages our society needs to hear right now.

Often a book's illustrations add to, play with, or stretch the meaning of the book's text. In the case of We Are Water Protectors, Goade's illustrations immerse readers in the reality - physical and emotional - of our interconnectedness and our dependence on water.

On the first spread, Nokomis teaches the girl that "water is the first medicine." Together, they stand waist-deep in water, Nokomis's caring hand gently placed on the girl's back, as the layers of water of different hues of blue bleed up into tree and leaf shapes, the way only watercolor can do. Goade masterfully controls this medium, creating fine, delicate patterns; clean lines; and swaths of varying saturations that create a feast for the eyes.

Most spreads picture nature scenes connecting humans in community with one another and with animals, water, and the universe. Patterns of stars and flowers adorn the deep blue, turquoise, indigo, and purple tones. On the three spreads where the girl is pictured alone, she is never truly alone: her long hair flows into waves of water inhabited by fish and plant life, or she kneels at the water as her ancestors look back at her from its surface. One could read the pictures without the words and take away the same main messages: water is life; we are all connected.
[Read the Horn Book Magazine review of We Are Water Protectors here]
Aside from the beauty, the technical skill with which Goade wields the paintbrush is almost unbelievable. From the edges between shapes, to the blend between colors, to the gleam in each eye, the precision is truly impressive. Anyone who has used watercolor can attest to the skill required for the precise and varied images on these pages.

The book ends with a pledge for readers to sign to protect Mother Earth and all her creatures and resources. After seeing such gorgeous visions of what the world could be, who could resist a vow to strive for such a reality? Between the text, like a chanted poem, and the pictures, like a vision of what we could be, here indeed is a book that can influence minds and cultures, and shift how we see and treat our world.

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Calling Caldecott | We Are Water Protectors

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We Are Water Protectors stands out among the books published this year for its importance in our shared culture and for its elegant beauty. I simply cannot get enough of We Are Water Protectors. It stands out among the books published this year for its importance in our shared culture and for its elegant beauty.

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Korean Geographic | 코리언 지오그래픽 - Ep.8 : Female Divers (2014.12.24)

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Led by Anishinaabe Grandmothers, Water Walks respect the truth that water is a life giver, and because women also give life they are the keepers of the water. In Anishinaabe religion prophecies were given before contact with light skinned people. The prophecies state that when the world has been befouled and the waters turned bitter by disrespect, human beings will have two options to choose from: materialism or spirituality. If they chose spirituality, they would survive, but if they chose materialism, that choice would be the end of humanity ("The Seven Fires Prophecy"). We choose spirituality and duality with all people who now live on Turtle Island, regardless of their ancestry. We unite with others and walk towards love and a better future for our grandchildren.

Water Walks are focused and implemented in faith: faith in the water spirits, faith in the earth, faith in humankind and faith in the power of love. No amount of money is more powerful than these forces. When we spend time respecting and thanking the water for keeping us alive, it becomes impossible to abuse it. When we spend time praying for the water, we spend time praying for ourselves; in praying for ourselves we pray for all of our relatives 3.

At this time in our collective history, we are seeing the negative repercussions of global domination and greed. The water is polluted and suffering, plastic litters every ebb and flow of her veins. Turtle Island's heart, Lake Superior, is threatened every day from corporations wanting to exploit our largest fresh water resource. We stand with the organizations and people working to propose legislation, clean up, hold services on the river, protect conservation trusts, mobilize and rally for the water in their communities and worldwide. We are the spiritual side of these movements and we offer our hearts, our minds, our prayers and our asemaa 4 in support of Nibi and all those who walk with her.

Learn more about Sharon Day, leader of Nibi Walks and Executive Director of the Indigenous People's Task Force.

Learn more about this history of the Nibi Walks by watching these short videos of conversations with the grandmother of the Nibi Walking movement, Josephine Mandamin and with Water Walker Dorene Day.

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Led by Anishinaabe Grandmothers, Water Walks respect the truth that water is a life giver, and because women also give life they are the keepers of the water. In Anishinaabe religion prophecies were given before contact with light skinned people.

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Usually, when you release a new book, there's a launch party, signings, school visits, trips to book festivals. But when you release a book during an international pandemic, the typical ways to promote it disappear.

Carole Lindstrom's picture book, We Are Water Protectors, was released this week.

Lindstrom's book, illustrated by Michaela Goade, took over two years to complete, from concept to finished product.

Lindstrom's long-awaited book launch has changed its course due to COVID-19. The author has been "trying to find new ways" to promote her book.

Lindstrom, who is a citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe, calls her book a "love letter" to Standing Rock and to all Indigenous people. We Are Water Protector s was inspired by the Indigenous-led resistance to the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) through Standing Rock Sioux territory.

"We need more stewards of the Earth, and that's why I wrote it," explained Lindstrom. "To protect our planet."

"It's not just an Indigenous issue. It's an every person issue."

Changes to book release

Lindstrom has cancelled book signings and school visits, as well as a trip to Standing Rock to present her book to the community.

"And that's the thing that really hurts me the most," said Lindstrom about postponing the book launch in Standing Rock.

"But we're gonna do it. It's just been pushed back a little bit."

In the meantime, Lindstrom recorded a video about her book that can be used in schools. Like many other authors, Lindstrom is connecting with readers online.

"Social media is wonderful," she said.

Lindstrom said she feels "a lot of support."

"Everybody's dealing with this [pandemic]," she said. "We're all in this together."

While her book is specifically about pipelines and protecting water, it also relates to how the world is currently being impacted by COVID-19, explained the author.

"The virus can connect us and make us all change our lives," she said.

"We are connected. Everything one person does affects another," said Lindstrom.

"It affects the planet."

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'We're all in this together': How a timely picture book about Standing Rock relates to the pandemic | CBC Radio

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Usually, when you release a new book, there's a launch party, signings, school visits, trips to book festivals. But when you release a book during an international pandemic, the typical ways to promote it disappear. Carole Lindstrom's picture book, We Are Water Protectors, was released this week.

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I was so pleased to get a chance to talk to illustrator Michaela Goade about We Are Water Protectors, written by Carole Lindstrom. Among many other topics, we talk about her research process for representing a wide array of Indigenous peoples, as well as historical and modern traditions, in her work. Enjoy the conversation!

Water is the first medicine.
It affects and connects us all...

When a black snake threatens to destroy the Earth
And poison her people's water, one young water protector
Takes a stand to defend Earth's most sacred resource.

Let's talk Michaela Goade!

LTPB: Given the subject matter, what did it mean to you that you got to illustrate this book? What were your first thoughts when you saw the manuscript? Was there any imagery you just knew you had to include somewhere"?

MG: I was so honored to be given the opportunity to help bring this story to life. The book is an ode to the Standing Rock Water Protectors, a celebration of unity and solidarity, a call for action, and a love letter to Mother Earth and water protectors everywhere. It has meant so much to me to work on this project. I remember feeling a sense of excitement and magic upon first reading Carole's manuscript. The language was poetic yet sparse, powerful yet simple, and I felt like there was a lot of room for me to explore around her words. Imagery that sprang to mind included large swaths of sparkling watercolor, plenty of animals and plant life, and cosmic scenes. Ultimately, I wanted the art to burst with life, color and vibrancy, as well as complement the story's call to action. I wanted water to be its own character with its own shifting energy and magic.

Illustrating this book was a very moving and emotional process and I am just so grateful that this book will soon be out in the world and reaching children everywhere. It has meant so much to be able to help raise awareness of environmental justice, Indigenous rights, and to add my voice to the collective defense of Mother Earth.

LTPB: What inspired all the patterns and colors we see? What was your research process like? What challenges did you encounter?

MG: As this story was inspired by the Standing Rock Water Protectors, I took a deep dive into the 2016 events. I read countless articles and interviews, watched videos, looked at hundreds and hundreds of images from North Dakota and solidarity events around the world. I knew that there would be limits to what I could understand, knew that there was only so much I could fit into one book, and recognized that this was also a universal story that spoke to protecting Mother Earth in a broader sense. But I wanted to be informed, reference as much as I could and honor the water protectors as best I could. To me, it was important to convey themes of kinship, solidarity, and strength in numbers. It was important to include many different skin colors, different ages, and a wide array of traditional regalia and contemporary clothes. I wanted history and tradition to be visible, and I wanted it to be obvious that it was set in current times because Indigenous peoples are continuously fighting against erasure. Including all of this turned out to be a technical challenge as I hadn't actually illustrated all that many people before!

But it was also a mental challenge. I wanted to get cultural details right and sometimes the pressure and anxiety I felt were quite debilitating. I didn't want to offend anyone. The thought of accidentally excluding someone, incorrectly illustrating regalia or other cultural details, or something along those lines was a real stumbling block for me. The author, Carole Lindstrom, belongs to the Turtle Mountain Ojibwe Nation, and so I centered my visual inspiration around her in order to both honor her culture and provide an anchor to the visual narrative. In the book, our protagonist wears a traditional ribbon skirt, many of the animals hold special significance in traditional teachings, repeated turtle imagery honors the people of Turtle Island, and last but not least, the floral motifs I repeat throughout the book are inspired by the traditional Anishinaabe woodland style.

LTPB: What did you use to create the illustrations in this book? Is this your preferred medium? How does your process change from book to book?

MG: Watercolor is my preferred medium, which is what I primarily used for WAWP. It seemed right for a book celebrating water! I also added in some colored pencil and gouache detailing with some digital edits in photoshop at the end.

My process from book to book definitely changes. If you compare WAWP to the first book I illustrated in 2017 (Shanyaak'utlaax: Salmon Boy), the differences are, well, very obvious! Essentially I've been learning how to illustrate with each new book project. I was always drawing as a kid and have a foundation in the arts thanks to classes and programs over the years, but illustration is something I never studied or knew much about. However, I was always obsessed with animated movies, certain video games and of course picture books - I should've known! For a couple years after college I worked as a graphic designer at an agency before quitting to pursue full-time freelance. One of my first big projects was in my hometown of Juneau, Alaska, which happened to entail illustrating a few wonderful picture books for a local Native non-profit (Sealaska Heritage Institute and its Baby Raven Reads program) geared to Native children from the three tribes of our region - the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian.

Six books later and I'm starting to feel comfortable experimenting with style and medium now that each book no longer feels like a huge undertaking of the unknown! Of course, each book is its own adventure and becomes its own world and I'm sure there will always be a degree of jumping into the unknown with each project. That's part of the fun. What works visually with one might not be the best path for the next. I feel like so much of my illustration journey so far has been learning how to illustrate and now I'm beginning to explore the space around that. Currently I'm having fun playing with pencil, pastels and graphite in addition to watercolor.

LTPB: It looks like you do a lot of commissioned work and side projects! Can you tell me what else you do in addition to illustrating children's books?

MG: Yes, I've enjoyed a very diverse creative career the last few years. In addition to book projects, I've regularly taken on design/branding work Alaskan businesses and organizations, different sorts of commissioned illustration projects ranging from menu illustration to shirt graphics to book covers, and lots of other miscellaneous projects. I've also been working on my own personal art business over the last couple years, selling art prints online and at events while starting to get into a bit of wholesale.

At first book illustration projects were what I did on the side, since I needed to take on a fair amount of additional work to make ends meet. However, now that I have a few more books under my belt, the tables have begun to turn and book work is increasingly my main focus. I'm so grateful for this as I get to be more deliberate regarding the side work I take on and save more time for the books I want to create. The last few years have been a busy, busy whirlwind. If you'd told me just a few years ago that I'd get to make picture books for a living, I never would have believed you!

LTPB: What are you working on now? Anything you can show us?

MG: Nothing I can actually show anyone yet apart from little sketch snippets, but currently I'm wrapping up art for I Sang You Down From the Stars, a beautiful story written by Tasha Spillett with Little, Brown set to publish next spring. Then I'll be working on my author-illustrator debut which I am SO excited about. The title is TBA, but it will be set in my very favorite place in the world, Southeast Alaska, featuring some of my very favorite things - the ocean, forest and the magic of nature.

LTPB: If you were to write your picture book autobiography, who (dead or alive!) would you want to illustrate it, and why?

MG: This is a hard one. Can I choose myself? I think it would be the most rewarding and challenging project. So much of my story would be rooted in a love for the rainforests, islands, waterways and wildlife of Southeast Alaska, and there's nothing I love better than to paint this place! My Tlingit ancestors have been here since time immemorial, and I think it would be important that the illustrator understand this part of the world, its history and the beautiful and vibrant cultures that make it truly special.

All that being said, if I really had to choose someone else I think it would be Daniel Egnéus. Years ago, long before I had any thoughts of illustrating books dancing around in my brain, I stumbled upon his version of Little Red Riding Hood and fell in love with it. There were no little kids in my life but I bought it anyway and took it with me to college, and it has moved with me ever since. He is so talented at capturing the dreamy, the magical, the ethereal and the dark foreboding - all aesthetics I'm drawn to. I think he could make some gorgeous forest and ocean scenes.

A million thanks to Michaela for taking time to answer questions! We Are Water Protectors publishes next week from Roaring Brook Press!

Special thanks to Michaela and Roaring Brook Press for use of these images!

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Let's Talk Illustrators #135: Michaela Goade

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I was so pleased to get a chance to talk to illustrator Michaela Goade about We Are Water Protectors , written by Carole Lindstrom. Among many other topics, we talk about her research process for representing a wide array of Indigenous peoples, as well as historical and modern traditions, in her work.

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Against the backdrop of the encampment at Standing Rock in 2016, author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade created We Are Water Protectors, a picture book in which a girl rallies her people to fight a pipeline project. Their tradition considers water not just precious, but sacred: "Water is the first medicine," are her story's opening words. The girl stands against the "black snake" of the pipeline to defend the land, the water, and the living beings who depend on them. Lindstrom is Anishinaabe/Métis and tribally Ojibwe, while Goade is of Tlingit descent, tribally enrolled with the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. PW spoke with them about the significance of the events at Standing Rock, the role played by young water protectors, and how they arrived at the words and picture they felt would best tell their story.

How did you come to write this story?

Lindstrom: I heard about the camp at Standing Rock in the summer of 2016. The camp had formed in the spring. I immediately felt connected to it. My tribe is also in North Dakota, north of Standing Rock. I really wanted to be there, but I had family issues. I had written a picture book before, in 2013, and I thought, okay, well maybe I could contribute that way. I needed to do something.

It started as a novel, but it needed to be told quickly, faster. Small children get it. It's like they already know.

Did it emerge in the form it is now?

It wasn't poetic at first. It was a little more like a narrative. When I showed it to my agent [Kathleen Rushall], she said, "Could you think about maybe making it more lyrical?" And I said, "I don't know if I can do that. I'm not sure I can." And she said, "Well, give it a couple of days." She knows what works best for me.

So I waited, and then a couple of days later, I sat down and wrote it just the way it is now. It was all there. It just needed some coaxing.

I've always been a sparse writer. I don't like a lot of words. I like the reader's imagination to conjure the details. It's very important to let the illustrator have room to let their imaginations go, so having words that are slightly lyrical was the perfect way to write the story. And Michaela's work is amazing. It's a work of art.

Goade: Thank you!

The girl who stars in the story, the leader, the warrior-maybe that's not the right word-she is very young. Can you talk about what was behind the decision to make her a child?

Lindstrom: The camp at Standing Rock was a youth-led movement. You saw so many children there. It wasn't just grownups fighting for clean water. The youth organized a run from Standing Rock to Washington, D.C., to bring awareness to the situation. Babies were born in the camp. Children will be the face of the future. And a warrior is never a bad thing! I see a warrior as a protector.

Goade: She's a water warrior!

With all her people gathered behind her, she holds the feather up in a gesture also seen in pictures of other Native activists. What is the significance of that gesture?

Lindstrom: It is sacred. Literally sacred. She is facing down evil.

Goade: It is sacred, like Carole said. It is a symbol of peaceful protest. One of the essential principles was the need to stay peaceful even though they were going up against awful forces. It is one lone person trying to hold back the pipeline, the black snake. In front of her were the the authorities and the power. There are other photographs that show the person with the feather face-to-face with the power, but you don't see who is behind them and who is supporting them. I wanted to show everybody who was with her, everybody who was behind her.

The voices of women are powerful in this story. Can you talk about that?

Lindstrom: In the Anishinaabe culture, women are the Keepers of Water, so it was a natural for me to envision it that way.

Goade: It never occurred to me not to have her as a young girl. In the Tlingit culture there's not such an obvious female-water teaching, but there's a link and a connection between women and life, and water and life. Feminine energy just felt right. And the more I read about Carole's inspiration and culture-it was pretty beautiful to have it be female energy.

Michaela, how did you work out how to approach the story visually?

Goade: For me, approaching the book, there were so many options. It didn't need to be specific to any one nation, and with over 500 Indigenous Nations represented at Standing Rock, where would I start? Native peoples have a long history of being misrepresented or left out. I didn't want to go blindly into this project without first connecting with Carole. Her story represents her personal journey and her own unique and vibrant Ojibwe culture. While I am Native, her experience is outside my own. I read and watched as much as I could, while looking at a ton of imagery.

Lindstrom: It helps that we were able to talk. Michaela didn't know that picture book authors and illustrators don't customarily talk to each other, but I shared with her cultural resources from my tribe so she would know more about who we are.

Goade: I decided to root it in Carole's culture because it's her story. So the girl wears her traditional ribbon skirt, there are little turtles to represent Turtle Island, and the woodland floral motifs are from the Anishinaabe tradition.

Who was your editor? Did the story's shape change in big ways, or small ways?

Lindstrom: It was Mekisha Telfer, and she was wonderful. And there wasn't much to change. The only thing she asked me to do was flip the first two lines.

Goade: I worked with Mekisha and [designer] Aram Kim. Looking back on it and having more experience now, it was such a smooth experience. When I was offered the book, I was like, "Oh yeah, I want to do this." No debate at all. And the sketches, with the exception of a couple of spreads, came very easily.

Can you talk about the spreads that were more challenging?

The sequence of spreads where it goes, "We fight for those / who cannot fight for themselves: / the winged ones, / the crawling ones," the way it starts close up and then pulls back- that sequence of [those three] spreads seems natural now, when you look at it-"Oh, of course we should start with this little stream and then zoom out..."-but that took a little bit of work.

Another tricky spread was the spread with the pipeline, looking down on the pipeline with the bird and the fish. I struggled with the perspective. We've all seen the consequences of drilling on the natural world. I wanted to show what it meant to the animals.

There's a technique that looks like stenciling, where white patterned areas appear like lace over the regular painting, and it looks as if there are two planes, or two worlds-a spirit world and a real world. Was that the intent?

That was a new technique I tried out for that book-negative painting. There's definitely a more spiritual world and then a realistic world [represented in the artwork], but it's not really a formal division. Everything has spirit. Water has spirit, and water is alive. I live in Alaska, so that's obvious to me.

How long did the illustrations take? Was it a period of months?

Goade: The sketches, yeah, they took months. But the art itself, once everything was approved and it was go-time, the paintings took about a month. I didn't leave our property or go into town for 21 days. I only talked to a few people during that part of the process so I could churn it out. I work in isolation.

What reactions are you starting to hear?

Lindstrom: It's been nothing but positive reactions: "We need this book!" People are ready. They know. We're anxious to get this book into their hands. We were definitely hoping to go to Standing Rock. We've had to cancel, but we'll work out something. They deserve this book, and it's definitely going to get there.

Goade: The reception so far has been incredible to see. When I was making the art, I worried that I would make a mistake, or misrepresent, or exclude, or offend, and that was really a challenge. So to have it be received well by different communities, Native and non-Native-that really means a lot. Standing Rock is not an isolated event. There's land defense in so many places; it's still ongoing in Canada. We're only going to be seeing more of it. That's the reality. We're fighting the money and power. I hope it makes people proud. It will be part of Standing Rock, and they'll feel pride and they'll feel seen.

Lindstrom: And young people will see themselves as Water Protectors. The story is a call to do something, whatever it is. You can do something.
We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illus. by Michaela Goade. Roaring Brook, $17.99, March 17 ISBN 978-1-250-20355-7

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Q & A with Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade

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Against the backdrop of the encampment at Standing Rock in 2016, author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade created We Are Water Protectors, a picture book in which a girl rallies her people to fight a pipeline project. Their tradition considers water not just precious, but sacred: "Water is the first medicine," are her story's opening words.

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In 2016, 12-year-old Autumn Peltier of Manidoowaaling (Manitoulin) Island in Ontario stood onstage at the winter gathering of the Assembly of First Nations in Gatineau, Que. She wore an Anishinaabe water dress, made painstakingly by her mother, and held a water bundle, comprisinga copper bowl, a copper cup, some red cloth and tobacco, to present to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Peltier, who is Anishinaabe-kwe and a member of Wiikwemkoong First Nation, had just returned from the Children's Climate Conference in Sweden - but her plea to Trudeau to protect the water catapulted her to international recognition.

Four years later, Autumn is the chiefwater commissioner for Anishinabek Nation, has been nominated for the Children's Peace Prize three years in a row and last year was the only Canadian on the BBC's list of 100 most influential women. Peltier spoke with Canadian Geographic on water protection, youth activism and her ties to the water.
On what drew her to protecting fresh water
When I was eight, I attended a water ceremony in Serpent River First Nation. I went to the washroom and all over the walls were signs that said, "Don't drink the water. Water is not for consumption. Don't touch the water." And I was like, "Okay, why can't we do that?" We had to use hand sanitizer after using the washroom. My mom explained to me that they couldn't drink their water in that community. They have to boil it before using it. That hit me: why can't they drink the water? There's kids my age and younger not knowing what it's like to drink clean water from a tap. I had to do something about it.
On her infamous 2016 confrontation with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
I was 12 years old and Trudeau had recently went ahead with the Kinder Morgan pipeline - after promising First Nation Peoples that he was going to do better for them. To me, that's a broken promise, so I had to tell him off. I said, "I'm very unhappy with the choices you made and broken promises to my people." He said he understood and that he'd protect the water. I don't think he should have made that promise, because now I'm going to hold him accountable.
On addressing world leaders at the UN the very next year
Addressing world leaders is not something I ever expected to do at 13. I stopped being nervous after the first couple of years of speaking to audiences. And I knew this was my chance to get mymessage out to the world. I had to say what I had to say, and I knew that they wanted to hear it. I'm really happy that I have this platform because I'm able to speak up for these First Nations communities on an international level. Everyone deserves clean drinking water. It's a basic human right.
On being named chief water commissioner for Anishinabek Nation
Josephine Mandamin, my great-aunt, was doing this work way before I was born. As I got older, I started to realize that her health was deteriorating and it was becoming a lot harder for her. That's when I started working harder and doing advocacy work. Then, she passed away and the Anishinabek Nation decided to give the role to me. So now I hold her title. Before she passed shesaid, "people are going to try to stop you, but you just can't listen to them; you have to keep on thinking about why you're doing this." Her words are stuck in my head every time I give a speech. I have to keep thinking about why I'm doing this - and I don't stop.
On women as water activists
In my culture, my people believe that water is one of the most sacred elements. It's something we honour. My people believe that when we're in the womb, we live in water for nine months and our mother carries us in the water. As a fetus, we learn our first two teachings: how to love the water and how to love our mother. As women, we're really connected to the water in a spiritual way. We believe that we're in ceremony for nine months when we carry a baby. Another way to look at it is that water is the lifeblood of Mother Earth, and Mother Earth is female.
On the importance of youth
In the past few years there's a lot more people my age and younger that are standing up. I strongly encourage the youth to stand up because we are the future leaders and we are the people that will be making decisions for our country. But, our youth shouldn't be having to stand up - we're paying for the mistakes that older people made. There are people that say, "she can't do this, what she's saying doesn't matter because she's only fifteen years old." But I think the only reason I got this much attention is because of how old I am. So I think what I'm doing is really good and I feel like more youth do need to stand up.
On what she wants to do in the future
I'm kind of stuck between two different aspirations. I want to be a politician, as I'd have a stronger voice to be able to speak about First Nations communities and the global water crisis on a stronger, higher platform. At the same time, I actually want to be a pediatrician because of my younger sister - she's kind of inspired me to want to work with kids and help them. I really want to do both of them.

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Water protection and youth activism with Autumn Peltier

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In 2016, 12-year-old Autumn Peltier of Manidoowaaling (Manitoulin) Island in Ontario stood onstage at the winter gathering of the Assembly of First Nations in Gatineau, Que. She wore an Anishinaabe water dress, made painstakingly by her mother, and held a water bundle, comprisinga copper bowl, a copper cup, some red cloth and tobacco, to present to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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Bring everyone together and READ! Representing a diverse cast of characters, this charming bookmark is inspired by You Matter, the latest picture book from award-winning illustrator Christian Robinson. You Matter depicts the importance of seeing the world in new ways and from different points of view, demonstrating how everyone is connected and that everyone matters. Robinson studied animation at the California Institute of the Arts and has worked at the Sesame Workshop and Pixar Animation Studios. He received a 2016 Caldecott Honor and a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for his art in Last Stop on Market Street, written by Matt de la Peña. His first solo picture book, Another, was named a New York Times Best Children's Book of 2019 and a New York Public Library Best Book of 2019.

100/pack

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Bring everyone together and READ! Representing a diverse cast of characters, this charming bookmark is inspired by You Matter, the latest picture book from award-winning illustrator Christian Robinson. You Matter depicts the importance of seeing the world in new ways and from different points of view, demonstrating how everyone is connected and that everyone matters.

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Tami Charles and Bryan Collier-All Because You Matter

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How Indigenous Communities Teach Us Nature's Value | NowThis Kids

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Our grade ones loved Swashby and the Sea! We recognized that one character in a story can cause another character to change! We completed a fun See Saw activity about what we would write in the sand to a new neighbour! @BethFerry1 @juanamartinez @ngpseee

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Our grade ones loved Swashby and the Sea! We recognized that one character in a story can cause another character to change! We completed a fun See Saw activity about what we would write in the sand to a new neighbour! @BethFerry1 @juanamartinez @ngpseee https://t.co/egncSxWo11

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Our grade ones loved Swashby and the Sea! We recognized that one character in a story can cause another character to change! We completed a fun See Saw activity about what we would write in the sand to a new neighbour! @BethFerry1 @juanamartinez @ngpseee pic.twitter.com/egncSxWo11
— Susan (@susanmmattson) November 3, 2020

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Our grade ones loved Swashby and the Sea! We recognized that one character in a story can cause another character to change! We completed a fun See Saw activity about what we would write in the sand to a new neighbour! @BethFerry1 @juanamartinez @ngpseee https://t.co/egncSxWo11

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Our grade ones loved Swashby and the Sea! We recognized that one character in a story can cause another character to change! We completed a fun See Saw activity about what we would write in the sand to a new neighbour! @BethFerry1 @juanamartinez @ngpseee https://t.co/egncSxWo11

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Our grade ones loved Swashby and the Sea! We recognized that one character in a story can cause another character to change! We completed a fun See Saw activity about what we would write in the sand to a new neighbour! @BethFerry1 @juanamartinez @ngpseee

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Caldecott Club Grab & Go Kit (all attachments) 

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Caldecott Club Grab & Go Kit (all attachments) 

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Why I Picked It Up:

I loved the illustrations by Juana Martinez-Neal! This book came across as a "what to read next" suggestion, and I was immediately captivated by the drawings.

Why I Finished It:

Even though the storyline is a bit predictable, the characters were intriguing. I love the interaction and developing relationship between the little girl and Swashby. Swashby is an isolated, arguably grumpy, old man, who lives by himself by the sea. He appreciates beauty and SILENCE. Alas, a little girl and her mother move in next door. With his life shaken, he leaves messages in the sand that are less than neighborly. Unfortunately for him, the sea wipes away enough of the message to make it a neighborly comment (so maybe it was fortunate for him). Following the directions left in the sand, the little girl winds up befriending Swashby.

Who I Would Give It To:

This sweet and humorous story with beautifully calming illustrations is perfect for our younger elementary students. There is lots to teach and enjoy with this book - see integration ideas below!

Integration Ideas:

Personification

This beautiful picture book brought the sea to life! Swashby and the Sea is a great tool to teach students what personification is, but remember to ask them why the author chose to use personification. This will help them understand what they are reading, as well as help them become better writers.

While there are many great responses, I believe the author used personification to further help the reader understand Swashby's relationship with the sea and how he initially felt it was being disrupted by a little girl.

Alliteration and Word Choice

This text frequently uses alliteration that enhances the flow and rhythm of the story. Check this one out, "Squeaks and squeals sprang from the house next door". My teacher heart just exploded!

What a beautiful sentence filled with imagery and all wrapped up in a beautiful bit of alliteration. I would use this mentor sentence with the students and allow them to close their eyes and listen, then listen and draw what they hear.

After several repetitions of the sentence while they draw, we would talk about what they visualized. We would examine the writers' craft and use of alliteration. As always, ask why the author used this strategy.

Next, have students try to implement alliteration into their own writing. Here are a couple more examples from the text, "Neighbors were nosy, a nuisance, annoying." and "Neighbors can be fun, and friends, and ... family."

Word Choice

And, let's be honest, how many picture books designed for younger students do you know that use the word "commandeered"? The conversations we can have about this word are insane! My favorite way to show the power of word choice is to change the word. I would reread the sentence using the word 'take' instead of commandeered and ask how that changes the entire sentence. I play short video clips from movies where the word is used and we have a few-minute conversation on the importance of word choice.

Multiple Meaning Words

There is also a great sentence here to discuss multiple-meaning words, "The sea will see a wish come true". Use this sentence to discuss the differences between the sea and see. Then give student pairs a multiple meaning word and have them write one sentence using both words and draw a picture to go with it.

Make Predictions

Making predictions is always a kid's favorite thing to do while I read. It's a fabulous skill to use and teach - just make sure that the students always go back to their predictions to confirm or adjust! This will force them to hone their skill, to really think about what makes the most sense given the text evidence and what they know.

Quite a few times in the story, Swashby writes an unfriendly message to the girl and her mom. However, on subsequent pages, the water washes away some of the messages to create something welcoming and fun. Have students make predictions on how the message will change prior to turning the page.

Pay special attention to the students who begin to realize the pattern of it constantly changing from negative to positive. Jot down the students who did not understand and pull them into a small group later to discuss this further.

Quotes - Dialogue

There is a lot of dialogue in this picture book! You can teach intonation, quotation marks, paragraphing dialogue, signifying speakers, different words for said, etc.

There are so many great ways to use Swashby and the Sea as a mentor text!

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Book Review: Swashby and the Sea, by Beth Perry

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I loved the illustrations by Juana Martinez-Neal! This book came across as a "what to read next" suggestion, and I was immediately captivated by the drawings. Even though the storyline is a bit predictable, the characters were intriguing. I love the interaction and developing relationship between the little girl and Swashby.

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The Old Truck by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey (2020).

This picture book (created by a pair of brothers!) is sophisticated yet simple, celebratory, and circular in that its beginning connects to its whole and its close. It welcomes you in and gently ushers you along.

It's the story of an old truck, but it's also the story of a family, a girl who goes on to revive the truck, and a farm. Realistic with an imaginative interlude in the middle, it speaks to the beauty of days lived, of seasons passing, of moments and dreams and determination unfolding over time. It speaks, in a particular way, of love.
(click image(s) to enlarge)
The characters in this book are the old, red truck, of course, the farm, and the family-especially the little girl coming out of the barn in the spread above. The art, to me, is also a character. The geometric yet sweet, textured stamps give a wonderful quality to the pages-warm, homey, timeless, welcoming. The stamp illustration technique also brings to mind and mimics the hard work and process we see in the story on the farm and on the restored truck and the labor done by the truck itself. (See more of Jarrett and Jerome's stamp-making behind the scenes here.)

The girl and the truck are parallels. They are the heart of this story.

" Part of the inspiration came from looking at books we consider timeless, books that we read when we were kids and that we still have. Even though they didn't necessarily use stamps, the work of those mid-century illustrators had texture. It was trial and error - we tried different things, but in the end, stamps had that similar look."

-Jerome Pumphrey from this Horn Book interview

"We didn't grow up in the inner city. We lived on places like farms and in the suburbs. Telling those stories is absolutely essential, because it adds some dimension to the lives that black kids live. Black kids are not just in cities. They live everywhere. I'm glad we could contribute to that."

-Jarrett Pumphrey from this Horn Book interview

And in the end it's spring. The flowers are blooming. The truck is running again thanks to the girl who's grown up to be a farmer. And another little girl sits on the gate of the old truck ready to help, ready to love and be loved, ready to live seasons and days and moments, to let them unfold, to dream with determination. And we as readers have a sense that this story is not over. This story goes on and on.

p.s. There's an old truck in real life Jarrett Pumphrey restored to check out as well!
What you'll need:
When I saw the stamp artwork in The Old Truck, I knew I had to try my own kid-friendly version to honor this beautiful book! I hope this proves to be a fun activity for young readers to live with this story more deeply, to explore the artistic process of creating it, and to play with shapes and paint.

Sponges! The kind that are compressed and "pop up" when you put them in water

Paint (I used Crayola tempera paint)

Paper-some for tracing, some for stamping!

Pencil

Scissors

Foil

Paper towels or rags for wiping up

The first step is to cut out your shapes. I started by drawing shapes from the book onto printer paper-the truck body, its wheels, the sun, clouds, stems, and flowers. Then I transferred those shapes onto sponges with pencil (while the sponges are still compressed-flat and stiff). You can do this freehand or by tracing around the paper or both. Then, cut out the sponge shapes! You're almost ready to paint with stamps.

Once your sponge shapes are ready, it's time to make them pop up! Run each sponge under water and feel it expand, which is super cool! Wring out the water (they do not need to be all the way dry) and you've got your stamps.

I poured my paint colors onto aluminum foil (you might have another method that works). To lighten the blue, I added some white. To make pink, I combined red and white. I also lightened up the yellow a tad for the flowers. Then, place your stamp in the paint and do some tests on scrap paper to see what thickness you want and how the process works. When you're ready, stamp your craft paper and make a scene from The Old Truck! Stamp, stamp, stamp some more!

That's it! This is definitely a fun one, with lots of room for play, process, and creativity. Enjoy!

While you've got your paints out, you might enjoy this Señorita Mariposa butterfly clothespin craft!

read the book, make the old truck sponge stamps!

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the old truck + sponge stamps craft - This Picture Book Life

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The Old Truck by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey (2020). This picture book (created by a pair of brothers!) is sophisticated yet simple, celebratory, and circular in that its beginning connects to its whole and its close. It welcomes you in and gently ushers you along.

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Welcome to our 2021 Caldecott Club! I'm Miss Eti, one of the Youth & Teen Services librarians at Lincolnwood Library. We have come full circle during this, our 4th Caldecott Club, inspired by the fantastic program that Brian Wilson created at Evanston Public Library in 2016. This year we are hosting a collaborative virtual Caldecott Club WITH Mr. Brian and Evanston Public Library. Things will be a bit different in our virtual program, but the joyful fun of exploring awesome books together will be the same. And now we have the opportunity to welcome people from across our community - and beyond - to celebrate beautiful picture books together!

We met together on Zoom on November 9 with a group of wonderful readers, their families, and friends to talk about all things picture books. We were even joined by friends in other states, including teachers and a library school student! We were joined by our program buddy, Ms. Ann, and our Evanston Library buddies, Laura and Louise.

We designed this program to be open to kids from around 1st grade through 8th grade because picture books are for everybody and everyone can learn from each other. I've tried to recap their brilliance in this post.

We began our program by reviewing what the Caldecott Award is. Mr. Brian shared how it is the award for the most distinguished American picture book for children, given out each year by the Association for Library Service to Children. He pointed out last year's Caldecott medal winner, The Undefeated, illustrated by Kadir Nelson, written by Kwame Alexander, as well as the Honor books, Bear Came Along, illustrated by LeUyen Pham, written by Richard T. Morris, Double Bass Blues, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez, written by Andrea J. Loney, & Going Down Home With Daddy, illustrated by Daniel Minter, written by Kelly Starling Lyon. Thank you to Curt Leppert at Baker & Taylor who has shared print posters with us in years past - and provided this graphic for us to use this year. You can find it in our resources.

Mr. Brian then talked about the criteria for evaluating picture books. Shoutout to Holly Jin at Skokie Public Library for sharing this resource with me in past years to make the evaluation language more accessible. Brian and I emailed the criteria handout to those who registered to print out or view during the program if they wanted to use it.

Once we established our criteria, we were ready to explore the books. Mr. Brian put the books in a cardboard box, so he could dramatically open it just like the grown-up committee does when books arrive in the mail.

The books we discussed in session 1 were:

A Girl like Me by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Nina Crews

I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James

Lift by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat

The Old Truck by Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey

I guess this is the place I should put a spoiler alert for all the books we're discussing...

Picture Walk

Rather than doing a formal read aloud of each book, we did picture walks. For the picture walk, we discussed each book's visual features to examine the techniques the artists used and how they worked. Often we would prompt the group by asking them: How well does this book do what it's trying to do? What did you notice? What does it make you wonder? How does this page make you feel? What makes this art distinguished?

We used a strategy that ended up working well last year in person: scanning in the books so everyone could see them. While we had our copies of the physical books (insert my soapbox about books as objects, case cover secrets, and the texture and smell of picture books), it was very helpful to have digital versions to share with the group. We also added to our usual picture walk toolbox by encouraging participants to share and listen in lots of ways. People could unmute themselves and talk, raise their hands, use the chat, and use the reactions - and people did all of these things throughout the program, so ended up having a rich discussion in many places at the same time.

A Girl like Me by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Nina Crews

I (Eti) began our discussion by sharing some of the behind-the-scenes details about Nina Crews' process to make A Girl Like Me. According to Nina, she made "patterns, scanned hand-made textures and used vector shapes created in Photoshop and collaged these with my photographs." I was able to share some process pictures including thumbnails, sketches, and photoshoots she did with real girls - and emphasize how these real kids are the stars of this book, with their names on the copyright page and facts about them at the end. It was also able to share it as an ebook directly from Hoopla, which you can borrow and read without any waiting.

We began our discussion about A Girl Like Me by talking about the crowds of people who tell the girl who is flying that she shouldn't be. L & S said, "they look mad." We talked about Nina Crews used silhouettes to personify the crowds of naysayers - and how the girls have the color and focus on the page. When we explored the spread about the girl in the flowing scarves and a cowgirl hat, another participant pointed out, "she looks confident and brave." Another participant noticed how "the building is slanted away from us and she's standing upright, so she's almost popping out of the building." Another reader pointed out, "isn't there a saying, on top of the world?" which is really the perfect way to express the emotions you feel looking at this spread. When we explored the spread with the girl swimming, someone pointed out that "her face makes it look like she's trying to be a fish." Ms. Ann commented, "This one is my favorite - she looks like a beautiful mermaid!!" Someone else added, "she looks like a dolphin too, when you see pictures of dolphins jumping out of the water."

When the girls find community in the real world, people pointed out how much fun they are having with the capes and hats - and there are no grown-ups. We talked about how when the girls come together in the real world, walking past tall buildings, Nina Crews composed the real world elements to still feel fantastical. When we talked about the spread of the girls looking up at the butterflies on the way to the ocean, people pointed out how butterflies symbolize freedom and "they can do what they want." Y & Z shared, "They chose butterflies because Monarchs migrate which means they are free." We talked about the finale at the beach where they are all exploring their own interests. Another reader pointed out the buildings in the background, where they have journeyed from, perhaps swimming or boating to the beach. We talked about Nina Crews' use of different geometric shapes throughout the book and what they symbolize. L. shared that "I think she used the stars because they are having fun."

I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James

Mr. Brian began his picture walk of I Am Every Good Thing by sharing that the boy on the cover is the illustrator, Gordon C. James's, son, Gabriel. Gordon C. James shared in an NPR interview, "My son is autistic, and so he doesn't often get asked to do things or asked to be the center of things...It was powerful to illustrate his child "looking like how I feel he sees himself and how we see him as his family." Mr. Brian shared how it is a celebration of joyful Black boyhood. He shared how the boys are doing different things throughout the book with the oil painting art sometimes being realistic and sometimes being expressionistic to show the feelings and moods the boys are feeling. We talked about how much we love the cover and how it makes you feel - and the sensory experience of the textured gold lettering.

We talked about how Derrick Barnes dedicated the book to Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin, EJ Bradford, Jordan Edwards, Michael Brown, Jordan Davis, and Julian Mallory, who were Black young people who were killed, who come from families who love them and are unconditionally deserving of love and a future. Gordon dedicated the book "to my son, Gabriel, and all little brothers like him."

Our journey began with the flying boy. A reader shared, "I really like this picture because he looks like flying - but it really looks realistic like a regular kid who happens to have wings on him." D. pointed out that the "cape looks like feathers of a bird." Y & Z shared, "he's going fast."

Mr. Brian then pointed out how the next spread of the boys playing in the snow is more realistic. Ms. Ann pointed out the shadows on the spread make it look like "like during real winter." We then talked about the skateboarding boy and how he felt after falling down. L. shared, "You can't give up right away because you'd never do it again and then you would think about it and maybe want to try again." Another reader shared how they did that with their bike. Our group noticed how determined he looks. L. shared that "I like the sole of his shoe." (I literally never noticed it until this kid pointed it out, which is amazing!) Mr. Brian pointed out how Gordon C. James' art draws your eye to the shoe and makes it look real.

Mr. Brian then showed how the next spread is more fantastical with the boy looking into the microscope and the other exploring space. He drew our attention to how the art in the background reveals what the boys are looking at, mixing molecules and the cosmos. L & S shared that "it seems like the book is showing different jobs."

We talked about how Gordon C. James hired models to inspire the kids throughout the book, which helps make it all feel real. The next spread returns to realism with the boy standing with his grandmother "looking at something intently," according to Y & Z.

Mr. Brian asked about the emotions on the "coooooooool breeze" spread with people pointing out how happy and silly the boys look. They personify that perfect paper airplane metaphor with the joyful fun they are having. On the next spread, L & S pointed out that "he seems like a star himself."Mr. Brian asked if we'd want to join the boys having fun in the pool, which we wholeheartedly agreed we'd love to do. He talked about how the colorful art expresses this joy. Mr. Brian talked about how the art expresses movement on the page where he's playing basketball and baseball.

On the next spread, the kids shared how he looks "serious and calm" when "people are saying bad things to him." Ms. Ann pointed out he looks "strong with the halo behind him." Mr. Brian shared how the words hurt but he doesn't let them defeat him.

Mr. Brain shared how amazed he is by the versatility in the art in showing so many different experiences and settings to convey the themes of the book. As Gordon C. James shared, "I wanted through the illustrations for these kids to feel empowered ...I want them all to feel like they belong everywhere, like there are no limits to the places they should be, or the things that they can be. No part of this life - this full, amazing life - should be off limits to you just because of who you are."

Mr. Brian talked about the double-page spread showing their ancestors and successful Black men who have come before them - with the confident boys at the front of the spread, looking directly at the reader, happy and proud. We admired the final spread of the boy who is very expressive, declaring, "I am worthy to be loved."

We then took a quick movement break to get our wiggles out. People could participate by doing jumping jacks or whatever they preferred to move a bit after sitting through two picture walks.

Lift by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat

Mr. Brian began the picture walk by asking us who likes graphic novels. Everyone's hands went up. He shared how Minh Lê also loves graphic novels and wrote the amazing Green Lantern: Legacy graphic novel, which is illustrated by Andie Tong. (We'll actually be discussing it at Books & Bites in the winter!) He shared that Dan Santat also loves graphic novels - and created Lift basically like a comic book brought to life. This is also a funny book, so he encouraged us to look for the comical expressions, body language, perspective, and camera angles!

Mr. Brian pointed out how Dan Santat shows motivation on the characters' expressions and body language. We noticed how Iris is surprised by the baby pressing the button, then mad, and then green with envy. Then betrayal again! Mr. Brian shared how miserable everyone is after Iris presses all the buttons. He then pointed out how we're looking up at Iris from the garbage can when she looking at the broken elevator button and what an innovative way it is to show perspective. (Is it just me or is the elevator repair man a Stan Lee cameo? Can we just make this canon?)

Mr. Brian showed the power of the dramatic page turn going from the button dinging and Iris traveling through the door. As A. pointed out, "welcome to Narnia." Mr. Brian pointed out the realistic tiger in the jungle, connecting to the stuffed tiger in the real world. Ms. Ann pointed out, "The tiger has Iris's name on its belly!! It must have been hers!" D. pointed out, "I think she wants to go back because she realizes the tiger is "her" tiger." Mr. Brian showed how the art reveals how unhappy Iris is compared to how fun her sibling and babysitter are having - making it a hilarious sequence.

We had a great prediction suggesting that Iris would go to outer space. As Iris lifts off the floor, a reader pointed out that it looks like no gravity. After the dramatic page turn, Y & Z pointed out that "it looks like the International Space Station." Ms. Laura pointed out, "that's a magic button!"

Mr. Brian pointed out how Iris finally smiles after she has the lovely moment with her sibling reading Summit - and decides to bring them with her to the button. D. suggested, "There are snowflakes on the page with the cat as foreshadowing." Ms. Ann added, "Kitty is going inside too!" (I'm here for a spin-off adventure with their cat...) A reader pointed out how the sibling was thinking about their story, Summit, which led them to their wintery imagined world. Laura added, "books take you places." Mr. Brian pointed out how Iris is with her sibling at the final endpapers. We then had to share the case cover secret because it is glorious. We closed by asking everyone where would you want to go with a magic doorbell? Y & Z suggested Hogwarts. A. said, "to meet people." Another reader said, "outer space since I want to be an astronaut when I grow up and I don't really want to wait that long."

Case cover secret!!

The Old Truck by Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey

I (Eti) began our picture walk by talking about how this This Old Truck is created by brothers, Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey, who are co-author-illustrators. I talked a bit about the process how they created this book with over 250 handmade stamps, challenging themselves with limitations to provoke creativity. Jarrett and Jerome shared their process with Jules Danielson on her invaluable blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast: "Once we had stamps, we'd use them to make prints with black ink on Bristol board. If an object appeared on multiple spreads, we'd use the same stamp but make multiple prints, so each appearance of the object in the book would be unique. That was a rule we gave ourselves. Another rule was to never use the same stamp twice on the same spread. So even though all those trees kind of look the same, each one got its own stamp with its own print."

We began our picture walk by predicting the setting, considering that maybe it's by a greenhouse or about nature or farmlands. We talked about how the story starts even before you get to the title page, cold open style. (L& S even pointed out, "in the first picture before the title page the mom was pregnant." What careful artist eyes!) We thought about how the Pumphreys use limitations creatively, using only 8 colors and using them well.

We discussed how the old truck worked long. One reader suggested how it could drive things to the market. We noticed how the colors shifted between spreads, subtly showing how the seasons have changed, perhaps also showing the transition to harvest time. We talked about how the perspective changed as we look straight ahead at the barn, but the truck never moves throughout the book. Also, I love the chickens and they are my favorite.

We talked about the dramatic tone shift as the girl/truck dream and sail the world and go on adventures. We pondered whether the girl was dreaming of the truck or the truck was dreaming of the girl. It got very metaphysical and I'm here for it. Y & Z. pointed out the great use of personification. L & S shared, it's "showing her love for the truck."

We talked how the art shows the passage of time as the truck and the girl grow older - and learns how to take care of the farm and the tractor. We noticed how the weeds around the old truck are growing with each spread. We talked about the illustrators used whitespace to show us the truck covered in snow. L & S said, "the truck is covered in snow." D. said, it "helps us know the truck is under there because the truck stayed in the same place." Another reader shared "it kind of looks perfect because the snow is only on the roof and windows of the house."

Our group shared some predictions for what the new farmer - the girl all grown up - would do with the truck. Some suggested she would sell it or take it somewhere or maybe broke it. Y & Z shared "she fixed it and made it better." We pointed out how the "but she dreamed and persisted" spread works like comic panels to show the passage of time and the hard work she put into fixing the truck.

A reader suggested how she made the fixed truck her own, likely replacing things to make it like she wants it. In the finale, after the "vroooom!!", we see our chicken friends again who are startled by the car noise. On the next spread, we see her daughter on the truck, showing the generations of perseverance and persistence and hard work taking care of the land. I then shared how this book is inspired by the incredible women in Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey's life.

VOTING!

After we had walked through each book in a whirlwind of color and conversation, we were ready to ballot. This year, since we met virtually, I created a google form for people to vote for their first and second choice. (If you're interested in the technical details, I downloaded the results into an spreadsheet, changed the 1s to 3s (since 1st place gets 3 points, 2 gets 2) and then added up the totals. I then was able to screenshare to show how we got our results for full transparency. While we were waiting for everyone to vote (and for me to do the maths), we played a read aloud of I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes & Gordon C. James.
And the Session 1 Winners Are...
Lift by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat

The Old Truck by Jerome Pumphrey & Jarrett Pumphrey

Join Us Next Time!

Please join us for our next Caldecott Club session on December 7, 2020 from 7:00-8:15pm CST! I am also working on creating Caldecott Club Grab & Go Kits to pick up at Lincolnwood Library. Register for the program and we'll contact you to pick up your free kit.

Since you've spent all this time reading this post, I'll even let you know which books we'll be discussing:

Honeybee by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Eric Rohmann

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Michaela Goade

The Ocean Calls by Tina Cho, illustrated by Jess X. Snow

You Matter by Christian Robinson

Resources

You can put Caldecott Club books on hold at our libraries here.

I have created a RESOURCE GUIDE with activities, videos, podcasts, program kit supplies, handouts, and more to share the sources we've used and continue the learning! We hope it will be useful for you to explore these books at home - and maybe even create your own Caldecott Club!

Thanks for sticking all the way through this post... I hope to see you next time at Caldecott Club!

- Eti

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Welcome to our 2021 Caldecott Club! I'm Miss Eti, one of the Youth & Teen Services librarians at Lincolnwood Library. We have come full circle during this, our 4th Caldecott Club, inspired by the fantastic program that Brian Wilson created at Evanston Public Library in 2016.

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Festival Info

Pre-Recorded You Make a Difference: Activism in Picture Books

Even the youngest readers can make a difference! Authors Marcie Colleen (THE BEAR'S GARDEN), Mahogany L. Browne (WOKE: A YOUNG POET'S CALL TO JUSTICE), and author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade (WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS) introduce activism to children through their beautiful stories. These picture books encourage readers to protect the earth's resources, invest in local environmental efforts, and to feel pride in their identities.

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Everywhere Book Fest " You Make a Difference: Activism in Picture Books

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Festival Info Even the youngest readers can make a difference! Authors Marcie Colleen (THE BEAR'S GARDEN), Mahogany L. Browne (WOKE: A YOUNG POET'S CALL TO JUSTICE), and author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade (WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS) introduce activism to children through their beautiful stories.

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Snack Time with MacKids | We Are Water Protectors

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ALSC National Institute (October 2-3) is a biennial intensive learning opportunity and one of the only conferences devoted solely to children's librarianship, literature, and technology. Visit the ALSC website here!

Keep reading to download a free activity kit and an art print for We Are Water Protectors, read a Q&A with Carole Lindstrom & Michaela Goade, discover more #NativeVoices books and more resources for librarians & educators.

Check out the Archived Video from this General Session!
Hear author Carole Lindstrom and illustrator Michaela Goade talk about their picture book We Are Water Protectors! ALSC member Clair Dunlap will also moderate a Q&A with the authors.

Author & Illustrator Spotlight

Meet the creators of the stunning picture book We Are Water Protectors, Carole Lindstrom and Michaela Goade! Carole and Michaela share more about their inspiration for this picture book, their most memorable teachers and librarians, their favorite childhood books, and more! Read a Q&A with Michaela and Carole here.

Activity Kit: Take the Pledge to Be a Water Protector!

Download the activity kit for more ideas on how you can help protect the water and environment.

To take the pledge, download the Protectors Pledge sheet. Then let everyone know that you took the pledge by sharing the "I Took the Pledge!" graphic with the tag #WeAreWaterProtectors!

Download a WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS print!
Download and print this beautiful
11×17″ spread from WE ARE WATER PROTECTORS.

Discover more #NativeVoices books

Discover more fiction and nonfiction books by Indigenous author and illustrators. Share these books with your young readers on Indigenous Peoples' Day on October 12, during Native American Heritage Month in November, and all year long! Plus, request a digital ARC of Firekeeper's Daughter, the groundbreaking new thriller (coming in March 2021) from debut author Angeline Boulley!

Read Digital ARCs on NetGalley
Request digital ARCs for middle grade and young adult books on NetGalley here!

Stay updated with our newsletter!
Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates on new books, book giveaways, librarian and educator resources, and more!

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ALSC National Institute (October 2-3) is a biennial intensive learning opportunity and one of the only conferences devoted solely to children's librarianship, literature, and technology. Visit the ALSC website here! Keep reading to download a free activity kit and an art print for We Are Water Protectors, read a Q&A with Carole Lindstrom & Michaela Goade, discover more #NativeVoices books and more resources for librarians & educators.

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Title: I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James
Published by Pengin Kids
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4 - 8 years
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Kids in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.
Synopsis
An upbeat, empowering, important picture book from the team that created the award-winning Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut.
I am
a nonstop ball of energy.
Powerful and full of light.
I am a go-getter. A difference maker. A leader.
The confident Black narrator of this book is proud of everything that makes him who he is. He's got big plans, and no doubt he'll see them through-as he's creative, adventurous, smart, funny, and a good friend. Sometimes he falls, but he always gets back up. And other times he's afraid, because he's so often misunderstood and called what he is not. So slow down and really look and listen, when somebody tells you-and shows you-who they are. There are superheroes in our midst!

Reflection
As a parent, my goal is to present my children with a full spectrum of Black and brown characters in a variety of books. I want their experiences of story and representations of the world to include people of color, people they can imagine being like - people like Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Kamala Harris, and Chadwick Boseman - or fictional characters from books or movies with whom they can identify.

While I think it's important to teach kids about history and other topics, it's also equally important to expose them to stories about joy. Let's normalize having more inclusive conversations about joy, specifically Black joy. I believe children of all races need to be exposed to "feel good" stories that feature Black children being celebrated and feeling joyful. Picture books like I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes is a good place to start.

This powerful picture book is the companion to the award-winning book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. In the introduction, the author dedicated the book to Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin and five other Black boys who were senselessly killed by police officers. The illustrator dedicated the book to his autistic son Gabriel. Fun fact: Gabriel is the boy featured on the cover of the book.

I Am Every Good Thing is a beautiful book that encourages readers to celebrate everything that makes them the person they are. Kids learn they can be a leader, an explorer, the life of the party, and an undisputed champion. They also learn it's okay to make mistakes, to get back up when they fall down, and to be a shoulder to cry on when needed.

This affirming book will likely leave kids (and adults) feeling like they can achieve anything. My heart was so full as I read this with my kids and I shed happy tears. I want to gift this to every child I know to let them know how special they are.

As the ending states, "I am worthy of success, of respect, of safety, of kindness, of happiness. And without a shadow of a doubt, I am worthy to be loved." Isn't that such a beautiful message to read with kids?

While this book is a celebration of Black joy and self-love, it's a story to be enjoyed by everyone. Children of all races and cultures can appreciate the uplifting and positive messages in this book. If your children or students ever start do doubt their own beauty and begin to reject themselves, let this book serve as a mirror for children by reflecting and reminding them of how special they are. I Am Every Good Thing is an excellent resource to help reinforce a positive self image.

Your turn: How do you help children find joy in everyday life? What are your best tips for teaching kids about self-love and acceptance? Feel free to share in the comments.

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I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes & Gordon C. James (A Book Review)

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Title: I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James Published by Pengin Kids Pages: 32 Age Range: 4 - 8 years Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Kids in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

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"Once I dreamed I swam / the ocean / and saw everything deep,
cool / and was part of the waves. / I swam on by the people / onshore /
hollering, / 'A girl like you needs to / stay out of the water / and be dry /
like everyone else.'"
...

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"Once I dreamed I swam / the ocean / and saw everything deep, cool / and was part of the waves.

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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About this Event

Add to calendar

Join award-winning author Derrick Barnes as he shares about his path from child to published author and a reading of his newest title I Am Every Good Thing. The event will conclude with time for questions and answers.

This program is presented in partnership with Troy Stanton's More Than a Shop initiative and supported by Shawn's 1009, Presentable Cutz, Reflection Eternal Barbershop, and Hairmasters Barbershop.

Submit your questions to be answered during the live event: https://forms.gle/bK8tBPVFDS3dM5m49

Derrick D. Barnes is from Kansas City, MO. He is a graduate of Jackson State University with a BA degree in Marketing. He is the author of the critically acclaimed picture book CROWN: An Ode To The Fresh Cut (Denene Millner Books/Agate Bolden) which won a multitude of literary awards, making it one of the most decorated picture books in the history of children's literature.

Prior to becoming a published author, Derrick wrote best-selling copy for various Hallmark Card lines and was the first African American male staff writer for the company. His follow up to CROWN, entitled The King of Kindergarten, published by Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin on July 2nd, 2019, debuted on the NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLERS LIST, and was named one of the Best Books of 2019 by Kirkus Reviews and the Washington Post.
Register using Eventbrite to watch on Zoom or Facebook: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kids-writers-live-derrick-barnes-tickets-123514544327

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Join award-winning author Derrick Barnes as he shares about his path from child to published author and a reading of his newest title I Am Every Good Thing. The event will conclude with time for questions and answers.

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Please join us December 13 for I am Every Good Thing by @Author_DDB and @GordonCJamesArt. The fabulous @TchKimPossible will help us understand why picture books are relevant and necessary to people and students of all ages. See you next month at #THEBOOKCHAT!

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Please join us December 13 for I am Every Good Thing by @Author_DDB and @GordonCJamesArt. The fabulous @TchKimPossible will help us understand why picture books are relevant and necessary to people and students of all ages. See you next month at #THEBOOKCHAT! https://t.co/20G9kjUMBu

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Please join us December 13 for I am Every Good Thing by @Author_DDB and @GordonCJamesArt. The fabulous @TchKimPossible will help us understand why picture books are relevant and necessary to people and students of all ages. See you next month at #THEBOOKCHAT! pic.twitter.com/20G9kjUMBu
— Scott Bayer #THEBOOKCHAT co-founder (@Lyricalswordz) November 9, 2020

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Please join us December 13 for I am Every Good Thing by @Author_DDB and @GordonCJamesArt. The fabulous @TchKimPossible will help us understand why picture books are relevant and necessary to people and students of all ages. See you next month at #THEBOOKCHAT! https://t.co/20G9kjUMBu

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
Please join us December 13 for I am Every Good Thing by @Author_DDB and @GordonCJamesArt. The fabulous @TchKimPossible will help us understand why picture books are relevant and necessary to people and students of all ages. See you next month at #THEBOOKCHAT! https://t.co/20G9kjUMBu

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Please join us December 13 for I am Every Good Thing by @Author_DDB and @GordonCJamesArt. The fabulous @TchKimPossible will help us understand why picture books are relevant and necessary to people and students of all ages. See you next month at #THEBOOKCHAT!

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Association for Library Service to Children

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Gordon C. James has been a fine art painter in Charlotte for over 15 years. For the majority of that time, he has widely been acknowledged as a prodigious talent in figurative painting. In the last three years, however, after two decades of teaching, exhibiting, and even illustrating Hallmark cards at the start of his career, James has experienced a meteoric rise to fame and nationally acclaimed success as an artist.

In switching his focus from painting fine art that hangs on walls to illustrating children's books found in stores nationwide, James has generated piles upon piles of glowing notices, starred book reviews, awards, invitations to lecture at book festivals and school events, a Times Square video billboard featuring his painted illustrations, and a steadily growing list of new book commissions. All of this has been accomplished from his studio at ClearWater Arts Center & Studios in Concord, just 25 miles northeast of his home.

While he knew about ClearWater before he rented his studio, as he'd participated in a group show there in November 2014, James had already spent considerable effort making a workspace in the large garage of his Charlotte home, located in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood. After visiting ClearWater a few more times - first to serve as a featured painter in the live annual Portrait Paint-Off, then to visit friends with studios there - James responded to a studio vacancy opening up in June 2016. Within a few months of settling into his new studio, he noted that it was much easier to concentrate on his artwork, thanks to now having a dedicated space for it away from his home. In fact, ClearWater Coordinator Sarah Gay remembers his move to the new studio vividly: "What I particularly enjoyed witnessing was the degree to which his focus and confidence shifted and deepened once at ClearWater, with the ability to isolate his professional workspace to a dedicated place."

Not long after renting the space at ClearWater, James was invited by friend and author, Derrick Barnes, to illustrate "Crown: An Ode to The Fresh Cut" (2017). "Crown" is a paean to the power of positive self-image. It became a blockbuster best-seller almost as soon as it was published. James is proud of its wide appeal, stating: "While it was created with Black boys in mind, it is a story of confidence and pride that all children can learn from." Reviews by noted critical outlets like Kirkus Reviews, the LA Times, NPR, and more lauded it, and awards soon followed. In 2018, James was awarded the Gold Medal in Illustration from the American Society of Illustrators. The book itself was awarded six major literary awards, including: the Newberry Medal, the Caldicott medal, the Coretta Scott King Book Award, and Ezra Jack Keats Award. Lastly, though certainly not least, both James and Barnes won Kirkus Reviews' annual $50,000 Kirkus Prize. It may very well be the most-awarded children's book of all time.

For "Crown," Gay notes that James "put in long stretches (of work) at all hours and poured his talent into creating museum-quality work for the project. Having the Studio to help direct that energy and focus freed up his home to be just that - a home base in which to rest, eat with his wife and kids, and sleep unencumbered."

For many artists, such a heady year could have resulted in paralysis, as swift success so often does. However, James is onto something ... do great work, on subjects greatly important to one's heart and soul, and the work rewards you. While he was energized by the critical acclaim and having a sudden, substantive market, his real motivation was found in seeing the happy responses of so many children to his books and his artworks. He experienced this firsthand over the course of many speaking engagements and literary events as well as through social media. He soon took another commission, and in February 2019, the book "Let 'Er Buck: George Fletcher, Peoples' Champion" by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson came out. Almost immediately after its release, it was listed as Amazon's No. 1 New Release in Children's Historical Biographies. It, too, began to generate thousands of positive reviews and responses on social media. Recently, James received the 2020 Spur Award by the Western Writers of America for this great set of work.

This past September, another collaboration with Derrick Barnes entitled "I Am Every Good Thing" has become the latest "superstar debut" in children's books, noticed by celebrities and prominent critics alike. Launched on Sept. 1 with fanfare and critical acclaim, including the aforementioned video billboard in Times Square, it appeared on Oprah's Book List, was read online by actors and musicians, including Charlotte's own Anthony Hamilton, and remained at top of the list in critical reviews such as Kirkus, Book List, and School Library Journal. It stayed three weeks on the "The New York Times Best Sellers" list. Once again, the public is responding to a brilliant, collaborative work of art that provides a resoundingly positive message as well as James' beautiful paintings, which have now been given a national and international audience.

The month of September just kept getting better for James, as he appeared as one of the first guests on "The Drew Barrymore Show" alongside Barnes, saw "I Am Every Good Thing" read aloud by actress Jennifer Garner on social media, and watched "Stranger Things" star Caleb McLaughlin read "Crown" on Netflix's new show, "Bookmarks." He gave several interviews virtually from his studio and virtually co-presented a live Book Talk with Barnes for Mahogany, the long-established African American bookstore in Washington, D.C. To top it all off, James learned near the end of the month that he and Barnes, having been once again nominated for the Kirkus Prize, are among the Top 6 finalists.

Through all the success and fame, James has remained grounded at ClearWater - though he's moved studios within the facility twice now. He claimed a large, airy, bright space in the recently renovated lower level, where he has set up several work stations: one for oil painting, one for pastel work, one for projecting his drawings so he can paint illustrations in the second stages, and so forth. He has a display area for books and awards as well as a seating area for interviews, both of the in-person and Zoom variety. These days, he's found a rhythm in his daily regimen of balancing the demands of fatherhood with the demands of fame and fandom. Sometimes he pulls an all-nighter; sometimes he's home for dinner and an evening with family. He often spends time studying other illustrators' work and exchanges advice with his network of fellow artists, both in the ClearWater building and in "the business," the latter being built through so many conferences and events before the pandemic. He also stays in touch with his fans through careful attention to his social media. On Instagram, he rewards young readers whose parents have tagged him with their very own hand-drawn golden crown in his re-posted photo of them with the book. Through it all, his energy remains steady and his focus, unwavering.

Currently, James is at work on two more book projects, with additional offers in the wings. He remains dedicated to his mission of getting positive stories of about the African American experience into children's literature, and he is determined to make each illustration his best work. However, he still manages to be generous with his time, should a visitor be granted a peek into his studio or a fellow educator wish to bring a student over for a little inspiration. Once this coronavirus pandemic is brought to heel, or at least reaches a point where we can all operate under less restriction, Gordon C. James will renew his speaking tour circuit. ClearWater Arts Center & Studios will reopen to public visitation. In the meantime, be sure to follow both on Facebook and Instagram (and Twitter for James) for updates.

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Local artist continues "Meteoric Rise" with new children's book, TV appearances, and more

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Gordon C. James has been a fine art painter in Charlotte for over 15 years. For the majority of that time, he has widely been acknowledged as a prodigious talent in figurative painting.

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The inspiration behind the story in Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is magical in both its simplicity and its complexity. Author Derrick Barnes says he was inspired by a photo of a friend's son who had just received a hair cut. The boy's look reminded him of how he felt as a child sitting in the barber's chair: he felt like royalty. But as a young black man, that was probably the only place he felt royal, so it was extra special. Simple, yet complex. The magnitude with which illustrator Gordon C Jamesbrings Derrick's words to life is awe-inspiring: it's intimate and thoughtful, and it places readers in the barbershop chair with the boy. I chatted with Gordon (pictured below with his own little crown halo!) about his work on this book. Enjoy!

About the book:

The barbershop is where the magic happens. Boys go in as lumps of clay and, with princely robes draped around their shoulders, a dab of cool shaving cream on their foreheads, and a slow, steady cut, they become royalty. That crisp yet subtle line makes boys sharper, more visible, more aware of every great thing that could happen to them when they look good: lesser grades turn into As; girls take notice; even a mother's hug gets a little tighter. Everyone notices.

A fresh cut makes boys fly.

Let's talk Gordon C James!

LTPB: I have to admit, I was only three pages into this book before I set it down to ask you for an interview. I was just blown away by the illustrations! How did you create them? What is your preferred medium?

GCJ: The illustrations are all oil on illustration board. I will do thumbnail drawings -- tiny drawings that help me work out different ideas -- then I can take any photo reference I may need. When I do my own painting, I just go straight to the paint. I never use projectors or trace when I use reference. I do a drawing on the board first to submit to the art directors. If they like it I'll seal it with fixative and paint right on top of it.

LTPB: When you received this manuscript, what about it drew you in? Did you immediately know what style you'd illustrate it in? What did you think you could bring to the story Derrick had crafted?

GCJ: I love Derrick's language. I enjoy how it flows. I knew how I'd illustrate it because that's just how I work. If there are any variances, it's just in how long I work. I could stop sooner for spontaneity and energy, or I could keep going and render illustration so it looks like a photo. I wanted to bring a very high level of technical proficiency, as well a lot of emotion and soul, to the project. No matter the visual direction, I want it to feel like there is fine art on the page. It was my goal to bring excellence to the illustrations to match that of the writing.

LTPB: Who inspired your main character? How did the boy's visual story - the world he lives in, the characters he meets - evolve as you worked on the book? What kind of notes did Derrick give you?

GCJ: A lot of times I use models. The main character is Derrick's son, Silas. The barber in "Crown" is Reggie, owner of Heads Up Barber Shop in Charlotte. So the barber shop is also an actual place. Reggie is my son Gabriel's barber, and he was gracious enough to help me out. Heads Up has that old-school, "neighborhood barbershop" vibe the book needed. Parts of the book are very real, and I believe that authenticity comes through. Derrick sent me a lot of pictures from the internet and notes, but I knew what I wanted to do.

LTPB: What are you working on now? Anything you can show us?

GCJ: I've just started a book called Let 'Em Buck about African American Cowboy George Fletcher. I am also being considered for another project that's top secret, so let's keep our fingers crossed. Unfortunately, I don't have anything to share yet.

LTPB: If you could choose anyone, dead or alive, to illustrate your picture book biography, who would it be and why?

GCJ: Jerry Pinkney, I love the amount of work in his work. It looks like he never settles. I can feel the passion. It's just excellent.

A million thanks to Gordon for taking time to answers some questions about one one of my favorite books of the year! Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut published earlier this year from Denene Millner Books !

Special thanks to Gordon and Denene Millner Books for use of these images!

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Let's Talk Illustrators #51: Gordon C James

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The inspiration behind the story in Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut is magical in both its simplicity and its complexity. Author Derrick Barnes says he was inspired by a photo of a friend's son who had just received a hair cut.

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Hosted by Matthew Winner, elementary school librarian and co-founder of All The Wonders. The Children's Book Podcast features insightful and sincere interviews with authors, illustrators, and everyone involved in taking a book from drawing board to bookshelf.

1. All Episodes

2. Derrick Barnes - I Am Every Good Thing

Derrick Barnes (@Author_DDB) shares I AM EVERY GOOD THING and We're joined by my 4th and 5th grade podcast cohosts. CROWN: AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT was received widely with praise and fanfare and awards and state book lists and my students, as well, were fully enamored with the story of the confidence carried along with a fresh haircut. So when there was an opportunity to speak with Derrick about I AM EVERY GOOD THING, his next book with longtime friend and illustrator Gordon C. James, I thought bringing on my students would be extra special. Derrick talks about the importance to see each other through the same lens, but also recognize our differences in the process. He reminded my students that we define who we are. He left a mark both in this book and in our conversation that will endure and resonate with my readers and with me for a long time. We're so excited for you to hear this conversation, too.

You can access even more information about this book and its author by visiting www.matthewcwinner.com/blog.

Get a copy of this book and support independent bookstores (and this podcast) by visiting our BookShop Store.

Thank you to this week's sponsor:

Bookclub (Patreon)
Libro.fm
And to the generous support from our Patrons.

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Derrick Barnes (@Author_DDB) shares I AM EVERY GOOD THING and We're joined by my 4th and 5th grade podcast cohosts. CROWN: AN ODE TO THE FRESH CUT was received widely with praise and fanfare and awards and state book lists and my students, as well, were fully enamored with the story of the confidence carried along with a fresh haircut.

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Magnificence sometimes appears in the most commonplace observations.

In the poetic celebration of self and nature, Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration is a series of young brown girls admiring the many different browns in their environments and in their own images.

"Deep secret brown...playfully beckoning me / through my grandmother's kitchen window...." A girl gazes, smiling, out the window at a scene of the natural world. On the next spread, a close-up of a bespectacled girl's face is accompanied by the line, "Deep secret brown...like my eyes."

Another girl admires the "feathery brown" of tree shadows on a hike with her daddy and then the "feathery brown" of her eyelashes.

Still, another tastes the "amber brown" of honey from her aunt's hive and admires the "amber brown" of her own hair.

Each girl is featured with family members or friends, relating to nature, and on her own having fun or in a reflective moment. The text of the poem is delightfully filled with rich imagery and luscious language, complex enough to grow into but familiar enough to enjoy at any age. Juanita's earth-toned illustrations are joyful and remarkably inclusive. The girls, their friends, and family wear a variety of hairstyles; there are characters in hijabs, one with vitiligo, a child in a wheelchair, and an adult without a hand. Readers may find themselves wondering whether this is the same girl in many aspects or many--and then contemplating their own multifaceted natures. This "celebration" makes magic out of the everyday joys of being in the world.

What are some facets of your nature? What is your favorite place to think and reflect?

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Blog: Picture Book Highlights | Brown: A Deep and Varied Joy

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Magnificence sometimes appears in the most commonplace observations. In the poetic celebration of self and nature, Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration is a series of young brown girls admiring the many different browns in their environments and in their own images. "Deep secret brown...playfully beckoning me / through my grandmother's kitchen window...."

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The Old Truck by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey (2020).

This picture book (created by a pair of brothers!) is sophisticated yet simple, celebratory, and circular in that its beginning connects to its whole and its close. It welcomes you in and gently ushers you along.

It's the story of an old truck, but it's also the story of a family, a girl who goes on to revive the truck, and a farm. Realistic with an imaginative interlude in the middle, it speaks to the beauty of days lived, of seasons passing, of moments and dreams and determination unfolding over time. It speaks, in a particular way, of love.
(click image(s) to enlarge)
The characters in this book are the old, red truck, of course, the farm, and the family-especially the little girl coming out of the barn in the spread above. The art, to me, is also a character. The geometric yet sweet, textured stamps give a wonderful quality to the pages-warm, homey, timeless, welcoming. The stamp illustration technique also brings to mind and mimics the hard work and process we see in the story on the farm and on the restored truck and the labor done by the truck itself. (See more of Jarrett and Jerome's stamp-making behind the scenes here.)

The girl and the truck are parallels. They are the heart of this story.

" Part of the inspiration came from looking at books we consider timeless, books that we read when we were kids and that we still have. Even though they didn't necessarily use stamps, the work of those mid-century illustrators had texture. It was trial and error - we tried different things, but in the end, stamps had that similar look."

-Jerome Pumphrey from this Horn Book interview

"We didn't grow up in the inner city. We lived on places like farms and in the suburbs. Telling those stories is absolutely essential, because it adds some dimension to the lives that black kids live. Black kids are not just in cities. They live everywhere. I'm glad we could contribute to that."

-Jarrett Pumphrey from this Horn Book interview

And in the end it's spring. The flowers are blooming. The truck is running again thanks to the girl who's grown up to be a farmer. And another little girl sits on the gate of the old truck ready to help, ready to love and be loved, ready to live seasons and days and moments, to let them unfold, to dream with determination. And we as readers have a sense that this story is not over. This story goes on and on.

p.s. There's an old truck in real life Jarrett Pumphrey restored to check out as well!
What you'll need:
When I saw the stamp artwork in The Old Truck, I knew I had to try my own kid-friendly version to honor this beautiful book! I hope this proves to be a fun activity for young readers to live with this story more deeply, to explore the artistic process of creating it, and to play with shapes and paint.

Sponges! The kind that are compressed and "pop up" when you put them in water

Paint (I used Crayola tempera paint)

Paper-some for tracing, some for stamping!

Pencil

Scissors

Foil

Paper towels or rags for wiping up

The first step is to cut out your shapes. I started by drawing shapes from the book onto printer paper-the truck body, its wheels, the sun, clouds, stems, and flowers. Then I transferred those shapes onto sponges with pencil (while the sponges are still compressed-flat and stiff). You can do this freehand or by tracing around the paper or both. Then, cut out the sponge shapes! You're almost ready to paint with stamps.

Once your sponge shapes are ready, it's time to make them pop up! Run each sponge under water and feel it expand, which is super cool! Wring out the water (they do not need to be all the way dry) and you've got your stamps.

I poured my paint colors onto aluminum foil (you might have another method that works). To lighten the blue, I added some white. To make pink, I combined red and white. I also lightened up the yellow a tad for the flowers. Then, place your stamp in the paint and do some tests on scrap paper to see what thickness you want and how the process works. When you're ready, stamp your craft paper and make a scene from The Old Truck! Stamp, stamp, stamp some more!

That's it! This is definitely a fun one, with lots of room for play, process, and creativity. Enjoy!

While you've got your paints out, you might enjoy this Señorita Mariposa butterfly clothespin craft!

read the book, make the old truck sponge stamps!

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the old truck + sponge stamps craft - This Picture Book Life

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The Old Truck by Jarrett Pumphrey and Jerome Pumphrey (2020). This picture book (created by a pair of brothers!) is sophisticated yet simple, celebratory, and circular in that its beginning connects to its whole and its close. It welcomes you in and gently ushers you along.

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All Because You Matter Discussion Guide.pdf

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All Because You Matter by Tami Charles and illustrated by Bryan Collier is a lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and Brown children everywhere: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always matter, and they always will.

To help continue the conversations that we hope the book sparks, we've created activities for you and your child to do centered around the book's hopeful message. Download the activitives below and read the full discussion guide here.

More about All Because You Matter:

Part love letter, part anthem, All Because You Matter reassures readers that their matter and their worth is never diminished, no matter the circumstance: through the joy and wonder of their first steps and first laughter, through the hardship of adolescent struggles and the pain and heartbreak of current events, they always have, and always will, matter. Accompanied by illustrations by renowned artist Bryan Collier, a four-time Caldecott Honor recipient and a nine-time Coretta Scott King Award winner or honoree, All Because You Matter is for the picture book audience what The Hate U Give was for YA and Ghost Boys was for middle grade: a conversation starter, a community touchstone, and a deep affirmation of worth for the young readers who need it most.

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All Because You Matter by Tami Charles and illustrated by Bryan Collier is a lyrical, heart-lifting love letter to Black and Brown children everywhere: reminding them how much they matter, that they have always matter, and they always will.

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All Because You Matter Discussion Guide.pdf

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In a year where the simplest back to school decisions are up in the air - do we even need backpacks anymore? - books might be the most reliable part of a child's education. Luckily for Austinite parents, tucked into the less obvious folds of our city's art scene is a wealth of picture book authors, including brothers Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey.

Their 2020 book The Old Truck, a recent Mayor's Book Club pick, follows a Southern farming family, honoring each generation's dreams and what they pass down to their children. Jarrett and Jerome wrote and illustrated it together in admiration of the Black women in their own family. Years ago, their great-grandmother worked extreme hours picking cotton at low wages in Louisiana to eventually buy herself a farm.

The Pumphrey brothers' great-grandmother's land is still in the family, and as authors, they aim to create something that outlives them in the same way.

"The book was inspired by not only her, but also our grandmothers [and] our mom," Jarrett said. "There was this spirit that they exhibited of perseverance. Perseverance, dreaming big, and achieving the goals that they set for themselves." Their great-grandmother's land is still in the family, and as authors, the Pumphrey brothers aim to create something that outlives them in the same way.

The text of the book is simple, leaving room for families to imagine together what the titular vehicle stands for - what does it mean for an old truck to "chase the stars"? "Visually, the truck stays in the same place throughout the whole book. There's a repetition of images as you go through," Jerome said. That visual rhythm, created with a unique style of stamped illustration, allows the Pumphreys to create a sense of stability in the book even amidst the life cycles it charts, as a young girl repairs the family truck and grows up to have a daughter of her own. That comforting sameness in the face of change speaks to the hopefulness and hard work they learned from their family.

A similar approach guides Share Your Rainbow: 18 Artists Draw Their Hope for the Future, a collaborative picture book the Pumphreys had a hand in. (Fellow Austinite Divya Srinivasan also contributed.) Released as an e-book in July with physical copies available on August 11, the book collects "rainbows," or little moments to maintain hope for in the days beyond the pandemic. Jarrett and Jerome's contribution reads, "I can't wait to ride a rainbow," depicting a carefree group of kids on a colorful roller coaster, their hands in the air. "The illustration we did almost came from my daughter's mouth. She really wants to go to Disney World," Jerome said. "We created artwork that expressed that emotion or that rainbow that we'd be looking forward to."

The book doesn't explicitly mention the coronavirus, but with scenes about returning to public spaces and getting to hold hands with your friends again, the context is clear. Paired with a good cause - 100% of the book's profits will go to World Central Kitchen's coronavirus relief effort - Share Your Rainbow is designed as a tool to start approachable conversations about the pandemic with children. "Our wish list keeps growing of where we're going to go when all of this is over," Jerome said. "It's a summer our families would have done something together." Both parents of two, Jarrett and Jerome are toeing the delicate line between getting their kids excited about the future while being patient about the day-to-day uncertainties, like when their schools will open again.

Since they work from home, the Pumphreys are better able to adapt to kids starting the school year still at home. "We're going with the flow, and hopefully everyone can be safe and it can work out," Jarrett said. "But I'm very much aware that's not the case for everyone. Some people have jobs they need to get back to, and having their kids home might be problematic."

Since there's no one-size-fits-all advice when it comes to planning for this new semester, the Pumphreys just maintain respect and empathy for the children at the center of these decisions. While every parent weathers the crisis differently, they hope to create work that helps young readers process the complexities they're experiencing. "We often talk to each other about something being too deep or too nuanced. [But] what I've learned is, kids - they're so smart. They get it," Jarrett said. "They'll point out things that their parents are totally missing."

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share your rainbow: 18 artists draw their hope for the future

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Children's Authors Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey on Finding Hope While Taking Things Slow

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In a year where the simplest back to school decisions are up in the air - do we even need backpacks anymore? - books might be the most reliable part of a child's education. Luckily for Austinite parents, tucked into the less obvious folds of our city's art scene is a wealth of picture book authors, including brothers Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey.

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Caldecott Club Badge (courtesy of Holly Jin of Skokie Public Library)

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Caldecott Club Badge (courtesy of Holly Jin of Skokie Public Library)

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Story Time: I Am Every Good Thing - Crowdcast

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Tune in live to hear Derrick Barnes and Gordon James read from their new book I Am Every Good Thing, and get a chance to interact with the book's creators and ask them your questions!

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Caleb McLaughlin Reads "Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut" | Bookmarks | Netflix Jr

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Barnes and James reunite, after the multi-award-winning success of Crown (rev. 11/17), for this beautiful and necessary book that affirms Black boys and their right to thrive.

I Am Every Good Thing
by Derrick Barnes; illus. by Gordon C. James
Preschool, Primary Paulsen/Penguin 32 pp. g
9/20 978-0-525-51877-8 $17.99
e-book ed. 978-0-525-51878-5 $10.99

Barnes and James reunite, after the multi-award-winning success of (rev. 11/17), for this beautiful and necessary book that affirms Black boys and their right to thrive. James's vibrant oil-paint illustrations harmoniously depict Black boys in motion, in contemplation, and in full vitality as they skateboard, swim, or stand contemplatively in the outdoors. Barnes's refrain throughout the book of "I am" ("I am a roaring flame of creativity. / I am a lightning round of questions, and / a star-filled sky of solutions") is a powerful, present-tense reminder that normalizes the robust lives Black boys deserve to live, in stark contrast to the dedication page, which lists a number of murdered Black men and boys, many of whom were denied their own boyhoods. I Am Every Good Thing lets Black boys know they are loved and valued just as they are, with unlimited possibilities. Movingly, one boy affirms for himself and for the reader, "I am not what they might call me, / and I will not answer to any name that is not my own." Fortunately, Barnes and James provide us with a range of powerful, positive names to call Black boys as they urge us to see them, to love them, and to let them live their lives as they deserve.

From the September/October 2020 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.

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Barnes and James reunite, after the multi-award-winning success of Crown (rev. 11/17), for this beautiful and necessary book that affirms Black boys and their right to thrive. I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes; illus. by Gordon C. James Preschool, Primary Paulsen/Penguin 32 pp. g 9/20 978-0-525-51877-8 $17.99 e-book ed.

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Welcome to the podcast dedicated to celebrating diverse and inclusive books for kids and adults.
Meet Your Host
Hi, I'm Charnaie and I love to read (and write)!

Charnaie Gordon, Host of the Here Wee Read Podcast

Every other week on the Here Wee Read podcast, we chat books - specifically diverse books. In addition to interviewing kid lit and adult writers and illustrators on occasion, you'll be updated on the latest bookish headlines and hear 30-second book reviews. This podcast is especially good for parents, caregivers, homeschoolers, librarians, and educators who have the desire to diversify their bookshelves.
A Little More About Me
I work in the IT field asa computer programmer by day, blogger and influencer by night, and a wife and mother of two 24/7. I am also a self-proclaimed lifelong learner, podcast junkie, and diversity and inclusion expert.

My blog, Here Wee Read, is where I express creativity and passion for reading, diverse literature, and literacy. More than anything else, I care about connecting people with great books they love because I believe that books are an absolute necessity.

My passion for diversity and inclusion is driven by a desire for everyone to have his or her own voice, whether it be through books, television, or other media. I believe it's important that people of all races, and all ethnicities, are able to see themselves represented and included.

You can also find my work at Brightly ( http://readbrightly.com) where I am a contributing writer. I am also the founder of my children's literacy organization 50 States 50 Books ( http://50states50books.net) where they collect and donate diverse children's books to deserving kids in each of the 50 U.S. states. Visit my personal website ( http://charnaiegordon.com) to keep up with my events and to find my resources.

Soon, I'll be adding the title writer to my name. I am currently in the process of co-authoring my first children's picture book slated for publication in 2021 with Sleeping Bear Press. I'm also writing another children's book called A Kids Book About Diversity also publishing in 2021 with the publisher A Kids Book About.

If you have a question or comment about the show, send an e-mail to: hereweereadpodcast[at]gmail.com.

Download our Coloring Sheets!
Print our coloring sheets for kids (or adults). Use these to color while you listen to the show or just for fun.

Show off your creations online and be sure to tag me in your posts on social media (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) using the username @hereweeread or @hereweereadpodcast and the hashtag #hereweereadpodcast. All illustrations for the Here Wee Read podcast are created by illustrator Sharee Miller.

Click here to download the bookshelves coloring sheet.
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SEASON 1, EPISODE 1

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Meet Your Host Hi, I'm Charnaie and I love to read (and write)! Every other week on the Here Wee Read podcast, we chat books - specifically diverse books. In addition to interviewing kid lit and adult writers and illustrators on occasion, you'll be updated on the latest bookish headlines and hear 30-second book reviews.

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Author Derrick Barnes' and illustrator Gordon C. James' first collaboration, the picture book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut, won a Caldecott Honor, a Newbery Honor, Coretta Scott King Author and Illustrator Honors, the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers and more. Needless to say, the expectations for their next project together were high. I Am Every Good Thing, which pairs James' lush illustrations with Barnes' lyrical ode to Black boyhood, is sure to satisfy even the most exacting of readers. BookPage spoke to Barnes and James about the new book, what it was like to work together again and the good things in their lives right now.
This is your first time working on a project together since the success of Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. What was different about that process this time? What was the same?
Barnes: The major difference was, when I wrote Crown, I didn't even have a book deal, let alone an illustrator for the project. We went through at least three or four illustrators, who all turned it down. Gordon was meant to bring this story to life. There are no accidents in the universe. Our chemistry was still the same. We both agree on the message, the target audience and how much these affirming illustrations and words mean to Black and Brown boys.

James: After Crown, people were waiting to see what we'd do together next. How would it stack up? I was excited about the challenge to meet or even exceed those expectations. We still have the same personalities. We both want everything we create, together and separately, to be our best work. We want to leave a positive mark on our world.
Derrick, the text of this new book is a set of affirmations that strike a balance between the tangible ("I am skateboard tricks") and the intangible ("I am hilarious"). How did you balance these as you wrote?
Barnes: I made a running list of everything that embodies the emotions, actions, goals, desires, strengths and weaknesses of my own sons. Every tangible and intangible quality covers a broad spectrum of what it means to be a little boy-maybe riding his bike without training wheels for the first time, or a teenager who somebody prays for at night. I wanted for young readers reader to see themselves in all of these emotions and scenes, and for parents to see these boys the way they see their own children.
Gordon, when Derrick's text wasn't immediately suggestive of an image, what was your creative process like to figure out what image to create and pair with his words?
James: Those are the fun ones. I just start doing tiny drawings called thumbnails in a sketchbook, or sometimes right on a printout of the manuscript. I go wild and just come up with as many solutions as I can, so I have a lot to choose from.
Derrick, which affirmation was the most challenging to write?
Barnes: It wasn't a challenge exactly, but the line that says, "I am a brother, a son, a nephew, a favorite cousin . . . " is simple in its structure but it took me there emotionally. I thought about all of the people who care about those young men that I dedicated the book to, and all of the Black and Brown boys who just want to grow up and be somebody, who just want to live in a world where they are not criminalized or seen as an adult as soon as they gain some size and height, around ages 11 and 12.
Gordon, which illustration in the book was the most challenging to conceptualize?
James: I agonized over the image of the young man in the red shirt. It wasn't the concept but how graphic to make the image. This calm, confident young man is surrounded by the negative voices of society, telling him who they think he is. It was a challenge to decide just how strong to make those voices appear.
Derrick, do you have a favorite affirmation from the book? Did you write any affirmations you loved that ultimately didn't end up in the book?
Barnes: My favorite affirmation is probably, "I am Saturday mornings in the summertime. I am two bounces and a front flip off the diving board. I am hilarious. I am the life of the party!"

Among my list of descriptors and every 'good thing' that's universal, I remember originally having a line similar to "I'm the center of a cinnamon roll," which is in the final version. It said, "I'm the fry at the bottom of the bag." Everyone loves to scoop up those French fries that fall to the bottom of the bag. They just taste better.
Gordon, do you have a favorite illustration in the book?
James: I absolutely love the swimming pool scene. I love the light, energy and joy. It's a strong counternarrative to all of the negative attitudes, stereotypes and all-out racism surrounding us and swimming.
How collaborative was your work together on this book? Did you ever influence each other's work during the process?
Barnes: We collaborated, conversed and disagreed about a few minor things this time around. But we're old friends so you know, we don't worry about hurting each other's feelings or biting our tongues. His style of illustrating and painting may have influenced what I wrote because I could envision how he would create the scenes.

James: We are friends so I talk to Derrick more during the process than I normally do with other authors, but I really do enjoy my space when I'm working. I live in this visual mode and I like to bring something additional to the book that may not have been thought of during the writing process.
Gordon, I read that you originally wanted to be a fine artist and create paintings that would hang in galleries. What's different about creating paintings that serve as illustrations in a picture book? What's not different?
James: I do my best to keep the process the same. Kids don't need to be talked down to artistically. Also, I keep in mind that some of the kids that read this book may have never been to an art museum so I give them academic oil painting, a fine art experience, 12 to 24 paintings at a time in children's book form. The only difference is that the subject matter didn't originate with me and that there's a team giving feedback and input. The fine art is all me.
I love your use of color in this book. What's your favorite color to paint with? What color is the most challenging to paint with?
James: My favorite color to paint with is a warm pink. You can see it in the lights on the "boom bap" page. That's my fave. The most challenging are the dark values. For books, they need to be a little softer and more colorful so that they reproduce well.
Who or what are your good things right now?
Barnes: My youngest son, Nnamdi. He's such a sweet boy with a great sense of humor. He's 9, so he still has a smidge of innocence and wonder about him left. I'm going to miss that in a couple of years.

James: One good thing right now is that my wife and my kids are healthy and safe. I'm especially proud that my son Gabe is on the cover of I Am Every Good Thing. He's autistic and seeing him shine on the cover and through the book is a very, very good thing.
Derrick Barnes photo courtesy of Derrick Barnes. Gordon C. James photo courtesy of CHDWCK. Illustrations from I Am Every Good Thing used with permission from Nancy Paulsen Books.

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Author Interview - Derrick Barnes, author of I Am Every Good Thing

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Award-winning author-illustrator duo Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James discuss what it was like to work on I Am Every Good Thing , their first collaboration since Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut , and share the good things in their lives right now.

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Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James, in conversation with Dr. Kimberly N. Parker 

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Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James, in conversation with Dr. Kimberly N. Parker 

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Title: I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James
Published by Pengin Kids
Pages: 32
Age Range: 4 - 8 years
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Kids in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.
Synopsis
An upbeat, empowering, important picture book from the team that created the award-winning Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut.
I am
a nonstop ball of energy.
Powerful and full of light.
I am a go-getter. A difference maker. A leader.
The confident Black narrator of this book is proud of everything that makes him who he is. He's got big plans, and no doubt he'll see them through-as he's creative, adventurous, smart, funny, and a good friend. Sometimes he falls, but he always gets back up. And other times he's afraid, because he's so often misunderstood and called what he is not. So slow down and really look and listen, when somebody tells you-and shows you-who they are. There are superheroes in our midst!

Reflection
As a parent, my goal is to present my children with a full spectrum of Black and brown characters in a variety of books. I want their experiences of story and representations of the world to include people of color, people they can imagine being like - people like Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Kamala Harris, and Chadwick Boseman - or fictional characters from books or movies with whom they can identify.

While I think it's important to teach kids about history and other topics, it's also equally important to expose them to stories about joy. Let's normalize having more inclusive conversations about joy, specifically Black joy. I believe children of all races need to be exposed to "feel good" stories that feature Black children being celebrated and feeling joyful. Picture books like I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes is a good place to start.

This powerful picture book is the companion to the award-winning book Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut. In the introduction, the author dedicated the book to Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin and five other Black boys who were senselessly killed by police officers. The illustrator dedicated the book to his autistic son Gabriel. Fun fact: Gabriel is the boy featured on the cover of the book.

I Am Every Good Thing is a beautiful book that encourages readers to celebrate everything that makes them the person they are. Kids learn they can be a leader, an explorer, the life of the party, and an undisputed champion. They also learn it's okay to make mistakes, to get back up when they fall down, and to be a shoulder to cry on when needed.

This affirming book will likely leave kids (and adults) feeling like they can achieve anything. My heart was so full as I read this with my kids and I shed happy tears. I want to gift this to every child I know to let them know how special they are.

As the ending states, "I am worthy of success, of respect, of safety, of kindness, of happiness. And without a shadow of a doubt, I am worthy to be loved." Isn't that such a beautiful message to read with kids?

While this book is a celebration of Black joy and self-love, it's a story to be enjoyed by everyone. Children of all races and cultures can appreciate the uplifting and positive messages in this book. If your children or students ever start do doubt their own beauty and begin to reject themselves, let this book serve as a mirror for children by reflecting and reminding them of how special they are. I Am Every Good Thing is an excellent resource to help reinforce a positive self image.

Your turn: How do you help children find joy in everyday life? What are your best tips for teaching kids about self-love and acceptance? Feel free to share in the comments.

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I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes & Gordon C. James (A Book Review)

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Title: I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Gordon C. James Published by Pengin Kids Pages: 32 Age Range: 4 - 8 years Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Penguin Kids in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.

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Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita (readalong Book)

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Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita (readalong Book)

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Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita (ebook)

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Magnificent Homespun Brown by Samara Cole Doyon, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita (ebook)

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This exploration of the natural world and family bonds through the eyes of a young mixed-race narrator is a living, breathing, dazzlingly multi-faceted, exuberant masterpiece, firmly grounded in her sense of self-worth and belonging. If Walt Whitman were reborn as a vibrant young woman of color, this is the book he might write. America, we hear you singing! Samara Cole Doyon sings a carol for the plenitude that surrounds us and the self each of us is meant to inhabit.

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Magnificent Homespun Brown: A Celebration

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This exploration of the natural world and family bonds through the eyes of a young mixed-race narrator is a living, breathing, dazzlingly multi-faceted, exuberant masterpiece, firmly grounded in her sense of self-worth and belonging. If Walt Whitman were reborn as a vibrant young woman of color, this is the book he might write.

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Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki (ebook) 

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Our Little Kitchen by Jillian Tamaki (ebook) 

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A lively celebration of food and community from Caldecott Honoree Jillian Tamaki Tie on your apron! Roll up your sleeves! Pans are out, oven is hot, the kitchen's all ready! Where do we start? In this lively, rousing picture book from Caldecott Honoree Jillian Tamaki, a crew of resourceful neighbors comes together to prepare a meal for their community.

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A Girl Like Me by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Nina Crews (ebook) 

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A Girl Like Me by Angela Johnson, illustrated by Nina Crews (ebook) 

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"Once I dreamed I swam / the ocean / and saw everything deep,
cool / and was part of the waves. / I swam on by the people / onshore /
hollering, / 'A girl like you needs to / stay out of the water / and be dry /
like everyone else.'"
...

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"Once I dreamed I swam / the ocean / and saw everything deep, cool / and was part of the waves.

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Kirkus Prize Ceremony "Cocktail Party"—Young Readers' Literature, Pt. 1

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Native Americans know why we need to protect our Water Supply. Water is essential, used in everything we do, every day. Cyndee Fox-Starr (Omaha/Odawa) Outreach Director of the American Indian Health Service of Chicago, Inc., presents a history of the Water Walk movement and its importance to the Great Lakes region and people. Grandmother Josephine Mandamin, (Wikwemigoong Reserve, Ontario Canada) began the movement in 2003 after she became alarmed over the pollution in the once-pristine lakes and rivers across Turtle Island. Presented with a prophecy from an elder in the year 2000 that warned that "water will cost as much as gold" by the year 2030, Josephine took action and founded the Water Walk movement.

Cyndee Fox-Starr is an enrolled member of the Omaha Tribe in NE, and also Odawa/Potawatomi of Wikwemikoong 1 st Nations of Canada. She is 1 st generation born Urban Native raised in the Chicago Native Community. She lives her culture daily as a bead worker, seamstress, and artist. Fox-Starr is the Youth Program Coordinator and the Outreach Director of the American Indian Health Service of Chicago, Inc.

This event takes place on Zoom. Register at least 24 hours in advance. Only one registration per household is needed. You'll receive an email with a link to the secure Zoom meeting about 24 hours before the meeting with a list of any materials you will need for the program. By registering for this event, you agree to abide by the Library Use Guidelines.
Accessibility
Need captioning for this event? Please call (312) 747-4015. Requests must be made at least 10 business days before the event.

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Water Is Life: Why We Need to Protect Our Fresh Water

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Native Americans know why we need to protect our Water Supply. Water is essential, used in everything we do, every day. Cyndee Fox-Starr (Omaha/Odawa) Outreach Director of the American Indian Health Service of Chicago, Inc., presents a history of the Water Walk movement and its importance to the Great Lakes region and people.

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Climate change has posed a threat to Indigenous communities for years, and climate activism from an indigenous perspective has brought the issue closer to the fore in recent years. When the Dakota Access Pipeline Project of 2016 resulted in a mass mobilization to protect the Indigenous land and the Indigenous Water Protectors, the International Indigenous Youth Council was formed to advocate for land protection and Indigenous Peoples' human rights. In this program, we will learn more about Indigenous climate activism, and about how climate change affects Indigenous lands.

How to Attend:
This event takes place on Zoom. You'll receive an email with a link to the secure Zoom meeting approximately 24 hours before the meeting.

By registering for this event, you agree to abide by the Library Use Guidelines.

Need captioning for this event? Please call (312) 747-4015. Requests must be made at least 10 business days before the event.

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Climate Activism with the Chicago Chapter of the International Indigenous Youth Council

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Climate change has posed a threat to Indigenous communities for years, and climate activism from an indigenous perspective has brought the issue closer to the fore in recent years. When the Dakota Access Pipeline Project of 2016 resulted in a mass mobilization to protect the Indigenous land and the Indigenous Water Protectors, the International Indigenous Youth Council was formed to advocate for land protection and Indigenous Peoples' human rights.

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Presented by the Libraries of Union County Consortium (LUCC): this series of virtual author visits will explore the subjects of Race, Empowerment and Experience. In light of the intense and widespread discussion of race and racism in America, our libraries are committed to providing online platforms for information and discussion.

DERRICK BARNES is from Kansas City, MO. He is a graduate of Jackson
State University with a BA degree in Marketing. After graduation, he
became the first African American male creative copywriter in the
history of Hallmark Cards. He is the author of the critically acclaimed
picture book CROWN: An Ode To The Fresh Cut (Denene Millner Books/Agate Bolden) which won a multitude of literary awards, including two 2018 Ezra Jack Keats Awards, the Gold Medal from the Society of Illustrators, the Coretta Scott King Author Honor, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, Newbery Honor, and the Caldecott Honor, and the Kirkus Prize For Young Readers.) His follow up to CROWN, entitled The King of Kindergarten, published by Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin in July 2019, debuted on the New York Times Best Sellers List.

On September 1, 2020, Derrick's 12th trade title, I AM EVERY GOOD THING, was released, and debuted at #5 on the New York Times Best seller List. Derrick resides in Charlotte, NC with his enchanting wife, Dr. Tinka Barnes and their four sons, THE MIGHTY BARNES BROTHERS: Ezra, Solomon, Silas, and Nnamdi (Nom-dee). More information is available at derrickdbarnes.com.
VISIT THE LINK BELOW TO REGISTER.

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Race, Empowerment + Experience - Virtual Author Talk Series: Derrick Barnes (Part 2)

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Presented by the Libraries of Union County Consortium (LUCC): this series of virtual author visits will explore the subjects of Race, Empowerment and Experience. In light of the intense and widespread discussion of race and racism in America, our libraries are committed to providing online platforms for information and discussion.

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Travis: It was a pleasure to talk with Crown creators Gordon C. James and Derrick Barnes about their upcoming book, I Am Every Good Thing. Our conversation hit on a bunch of topics: how Derrick and Gordon met, how Crown changed their careers, and how their collaboration continues into I Am Every Good Thing and beyond.

We hope you enjoy the episode:
Click here to listen if the embedded player below isn't working. Subscribe below to catch every episode: iTunes Spotify Stitcher
Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

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I AM EVERY GOOD THING - Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James Visit The Yarn - The Yarn

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Travis: It was a pleasure to talk with Crown creators Gordon C. James and Derrick Barnes about their upcoming book, I Am Every Good Thing. Our conversation hit on a bunch of topics: how Derrick and Gordon met, how Crown changed their careers, and how their collaboration continues into I Am Every Good Thing and beyond.

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Derrick Barnes: I Am Every Good Thing - Crowdcast

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Register now for Texas Book Festival 2's event on Crowdcast, scheduled to go live on Friday November 06, 2020 at 7:00 am CST.

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Kirkus Prize Ceremony "Cocktail Party"—Young Readers' Literature, Pt. 2

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There's nothing more powerful than a story to connect us, to help us understand ourselves and each other, and to build empathy.

The Power of Story initiative aims to highlight books featuring characters and stories from groups whose identities and lived experiences have been suppressed and excluded from mainstream narratives. Sharing these books with young people shows them that everyone's story deserves to be told and will help them understand and expand their world.

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There's nothing more powerful than a story to connect us, to help us understand ourselves and each other, and to build empathy. The Power of Story initiative aims to highlight books featuring characters and stories from groups whose identities and lived experiences have been suppressed and excluded from mainstream narratives.

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Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey draw things for ScholarMatch no. 1