Book rock, book roll
September 26, 2024
Happy Thursday, all. We’re going to get right to it today.
Nigel and the Moon by Antwan Eady, illustrated by Gracey Zhang (2022)
In this gentle story, a young boy named Nigel dreams big but feels hesitant to share his aspirations with others. At night, he confides in the moon, revealing his aspirations to become an astronaut, a dancer, and a superhero. But during the day, at school, he doesn’t quite know where the yearnings of his heart fit amongst those of his classmates.
Zhang’s evocative ink, gouache, and watercolor illustrations add depth and emotion to Nigel’s situation, beautifully capturing the vulnerability of a child navigating his identity. Coupled with Eady’s tender text, this book is an inspiring celebration of imagination, self-acceptance, and the courage that comes when we embrace who we are.
Baby Rock, Baby Roll by Stella Blackstone, illustrated by Fernando Azevedo and Denise Fraifeld (1997)
I am a big fan of Stella Blackstone — if you have a 2yo, run right out and get yourself a copy of Bear on a Bike; do not pass Go, do not collect $200, just trust me — and this title is a perfect example of how much there is to love about her work.
This is a simple rhyming book for babies and toddlers so there isn’t a narrative as much as, let’s say, a collection of baby-action and baby-images that show baby-life in all its glory. Fraifeld’s and Azevedo’s warm colored pencil and watercolor illustrations do a wonderful job showing that everything here is constant change — three babies play and dance and eat and garden and throw snowballs and take baths only to finally relax and sleep — offering lots to look at and talk about.
Toddlers will love noticing the sly grey cat on every page and you will love to read this book again and again (or learn to 😉 ) because it’s one of those — and we should never deny our little ones the deep pleasure of this kind of repetition, especially not with a book this good.
The Tin Forest by Helen Ward, illustrated by Wayne Anderson (2001)
“Once there was a wide, windswept place, near nowhere and close to forgotten, that was filled with all the things that no one wanted.” So begins the tale of the nameless old man who lives in this wasteland filled with discarded metal and trash. With patience and imagination, he begins to clear the garbage, building a forest out of tin, which eventually attracts real wildlife and blossoms into a vibrant, living forest.
Anderson’s intricate, muted colored pencil illustrations, brimming with strange mechanical objects and details are dreamlike and perfectly complement Ward’s poetic narrative, which is ultimately a story about hope, transformation, and the beauty that can emerge from even the bleakest of circumstances.
Possum Come A-Knockin' by Nancy Van Laan, illustrated by George Booth (1990)
If you’re unwilling to get into the rhythm of a book — to really lean in and let the tempo take over — then this is not the title for you. But there are bonus points here if you’re willing to rollick, to act as if a hoe-down came to life on the page.
The story here is simple: a possum comes to the door of a multi-generational family home, and he knocks again and again, to everyone’s increasing alarm. Booth’s pen and watercolor illustrations convey every hilarious aspect of this, including the minute everyone realizes something weird is going on:
“Then Brother came a-leapin’ and Sis came a-runnin’ and Baby came a-crawlin’ and dawg started howlin’ and Pappy was a-chucklin’ and Granny’s eyes was twinklin’ as Ma followed Pa to the door.”
(When they finally open the door, the silent but somehow still sassy possum hides behind a tree, to the delight of small readers.)
We never read this book at bedtime — it has too much energy and spirit (which is a compliment, just not when I am trying to wind down two young children) but I am happy to pick it up any other time of day. It’s a very fun, and funny, read.
This is your regular reminder that your best is enough — your family reading life, including your read-aloud routine, doesn’t have to be perfect (or anywhere near it, actually) to still make a huge and lifelong impact.
Don’t give up. Keep at it. It matters.
Sarah
“Once there was a wide, windswept place, near nowhere and close to forgotten, that was filled with all the things that no one wanted.” What a great picture book start. And thanks for the other recommendations; I want to read them!
Bear on a Bike is a game changer! Happy to check out more titles by her.