I Say OOH You Say AAH
Author: John Kane
Published February 8th, 2018 by Templar Publishing
Summary: “There’s something very important that I need you to remember. When I say Ooh, you say Aah. Let’s try it.”
In this interactive picture book, young readers help to tell the story by responding to simple verbal or visual cues. This hilarious book is perfect for reading aloud and is fun for the whole family.
Review: Oh. My. Goodness! I wish you all could have been in my house the first time we read this book! Trent thinks it is the funniest thing in the world! I mean, you have to yell, say underpants, and pat your head–all because a book told you to! It is a kid’s dream! And honestly, it cracked me up, too! Anytime you see a child so engaged and interacting with a book that they are laughing and cheering then immediately ask for it to be read again and says he has to show is Daddy, you know the book is a win. I foresee lots of AAHing and Underpants-ing in our future!
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: What a wonderful read aloud! It is like a “Simon says” book, so it really looks at doing what is instructed and also what effects of your actions may be. If you are a parent, teacher, librarian, or book seller who reads to young kids, go get this one now and find some kids to make laugh.
Discussion Questions:
When do you say AAH?
What do you do if I say OOH?
When do you say underpants?
What do you do if you see an ant?
Why do you pat your head?
What do you do if you see the color red?
Why are you waving?
What do you do when I turn the page?
Flagged Passages:
Read This If You Love: Interactive picture books such as Hervé Tullet’s books, Bill Cotter’s Larry books, Warning: Do Not Open This Book by Adam Lehrhaupt, The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak, The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone
Recommended For:
**Thank you to Lynn at Kane Miller for providing a copy for review!**
You Choose: A New Story Every Time–What Will YOU CHOOSE? Author: Pippa Goodhart
Illustrator: Nick Sharratt
Published: January 1, 2012 by Kane Miller Books
Goodreads Summary: A book with a different ending—every time!
If you could do anything, what would you choose? Imagine you could go anywhere, with anyone and do anything. Where would you live? Where would you sleep? Who would be your friends? What games would you play? Go on . . . You choose! With the help of witty illustrations, and a whole range of scenarios to choose from, this highly original book has a different ending every time and makes choosing, and reading, fun.
My Review: About a year ago, I received the book Just Imaginefor review. At least once a week, my son has asked me to read this book. There is so much to look at, and he gets so excited each time he reads it. I emailed the publisher (a year later) to thank her again for sending this book for review. We donate many of the books that I receive for review, but I simply cannot let this one go. Fast forward a few weeks, and I was thrilled to see that she sent You Choose as a thank you for my email. This book has received a bit more positive press, and I suspect many readers have it in their collections, but if you don’t own it, I recommend it highly.
We took You Choose on vacation with us a couple of weeks ago, and we read it every night. My four-year-old holds up the book, and my husband, my younger son, and I select our jobs, houses, outfits, hats, etc. from each spread. I can’t get enough of this book. It makes reading incredibly fun, and it’s started a wonderful tradition in our house.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation:Just Imagine and You Choose would make wonderful texts for creative writing units and courses. Students often struggle to get started, and paging through these books is would make for wonderful story starters. I intend to use these books in my Teaching Composition course.
Discussion Questions:
What did you choose? Why?
What did you NOT choose? Why?
Which page was your favorite? Why was the spread most interesting to you?
Did you notice any trends or patterns with your choices?
Masterpiece Robot and the Ferocious Valerie Knick-Knack
Author: Frank Tra
Illustrator: Rebecca Evans
Published April 17th, 2018 by Tilbury House Publishers
Summary: Masterpiece Robot pays tribute to the power of a child’s vivid imagination, which can transform a suburban autumn backyard into a futuristic battleground and Laura’s lively siblings into unwitting but enthusiastic participants in a fight for a planet’s survival. We begin in Laura’s bedroom where she is struggling to find her way into the story she wants to write, and we end there with Laura putting the finishing touches on her triumphant tale.
When Laura―a.k.a. Masterpiece Robot―heads into the backyard with her little sister Molly―a.k.a. Sidekick―her active imagination places them instead on patrol around the perimeter of a dystopian city, guarding against super villains. Then older sister Amber―a.k.a. Valerie Knick-Knack―throws handfuls of fallen leaves at them, unknowingly initiating a battle for the ages.
This one is such a fun read, and one kids will definitely relate to! It also lets adults relive those childhood memories where ordinary things – such as a pile of leaves, or a large cardboard box – can turn extraordinary with just a bit of imagination. The transitions back and forth from suburbia to dystopia in this story within a story are deftly rendered with contrasting palettes. The rollicking interactions of the sibling heroes and villains make Masterpiece Robot pure fun to read.
About the Author & Illustrator:
A child of Vietnamese immigrants, FRANK TRA proudly calls Wichita, Kansas home. Frank attended the University of Kansas to wrestle and write comic books. While there, he also earned a Doctorate in Pharmacy. He has been a cancer pharmacist for the last ten years. Frank’s writing credits include two graphic novels and several comic books. Masterpiece Robot is his first children’s book. Dr. Tra resides in a quiet neighborhood with his wife, Katy, and their six children: Amber, Laura, Roman, Molly, Tommy, and Isaac. He spends his spare time writing, fishing, and coaching his high school wrestling team.
REBECCA EVANS worked for nine years as an artist and designer before returning to her first love: children’s book illustrations and writing. Her children’s books include Someday I’ll Fly; Friends in Fur Coats; The Good Things; The Shopkeeper’s Bear; Naughty Nan; Amhale in South Africa; Vivienne in France; Mei Ling in China; Marcela in Argentina; Tiffany in New York; and Tatiana in Russia. She lives in Maryland with her husband and four young children, shares her love of literature and art regularly at elementary schools, teaches art at the Chesapeake Center for the Creative Arts, and works from her home studio whenever time permits. Rebecca’s boundless imagination enjoys free rein at www.rebeccaevans.net.
Review: I love this book! I love the story, I love the spread of imaginative play, and I love the humor! It is so smart how the author and illustrator told both stories: the literal and the imaginative, and both stories are developed and fun to read together AND separately. This made for a quite complex book which is also really appealing to kids (and parents/teachers). I’m also a big fan of the artwork in the book. The illustrator did an amazing job changing the style just a bit for the imaginative and the reality but also kept her signature style in both. The illustrations definitely added to the narrative making this book a must get. I also loved that this is a sci-fi picture book because not many exist.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: There are a few different ways I envision this book being used in a classroom. First, I would like to say that it’s best would be in a read aloud with a conversation around the reality versus imaginative. There is also some great word choices and vocabulary throughout. Lastly, the reality has very little narrative, so students could write the story of what is actually happening. The discussion questions shared below will also lead to some great activities and discussions.
Discussion Questions:
What character in real life was the imaginative characters?
Compare and contrast the reality and imaginative story.
How did the illustrator change her style for reality versus sci fi?
Think of a chore that you do at home. What could you imagine you were doing when you are doing your chore?
Flagged Passages:
Read This If You Love:Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg, Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, Not a Box by Antoinette Portis, Going Places by Paul and Peter Reynolds, Weslandia by Paul Fleishman, and other books that promote imagination and creativity
Atlas of Imaginary Places Author: Mia Cassany
Illustrator: Ana de Lima
Published: May 8, 2018 by Prestel Junior
Summary: This dreamy, gorgeously detailed picture book leads children on a journey to impossible but wonderfully imagined places.
Upside-down mountains, volcanoes that spew bubble gum, a gentle humpback whale keeping an entire city afloat. These and other wonderful worlds may not exist on Earth, but elsewhere–who knows? Each spread of this captivating book invites readers on a fantastic voyage. Ana de Lima’s whimsical, softly colored illustrations are filled with surprising details that reward close examination, while Mia Cassany’s soothing narrator is a nameless fellow traveler. A jungle where the animals exchange stripes, spots, and markings each time they sneeze, an archipelago made up of dessert-shaped islands, and a lighthouse so tall you can draw a new galaxy with your finger are just some of the wild places to visit. Perfect for before-bed reading, or daytime dreaming, this stunningly illustrated book will delight young readers and encourage them to conjure their own imaginary places.
My Review: Ever since I finished reading this book (the first time), I have been really looking forward to reviewing it. I cannot get over how wonderfully imaginative it is. It’s absolutely breath-taking. I’ve read it about fifteen times now, and every time, I notice something different. When my son pulls it off of the bookshelf for our nightly reading routine, I silently cheer. I love reading it and pouring through the pages with him. I include a spread below to give you a sense of the gorgeous pages within the book. In the spread featured below, a humpback whale rests just below the surface of the ocean. An entire city is afloat, and the page tells readers that when the city goes to sleep, the whale will wake. But because the city never sleeps, the whale will never wake. I sat with this page for quite some time. I love the magical notion that beneath the surface of the island rests a beautiful, unseen whale. I’ve read thousands of picture books, and this one ranks as one of my favorites. It’s remarkable.
Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: This book belongs in every creative writing class (at all age levels). Teachers might ask students to imagine their own imaginary place. They could write and illustrate a spread, and the spreads could be combined to form a class book. Older writers might examine the prose and the imagination that brings this book alive.
For my Teaching Writing college course, I intend to ask students to select a spread and begin to draft a story. The pages of this book make great story starters. It would also be a great book to talk about setting.
Discussion Questions:
Which page is your favorite? Why?
Compare and contrast the pages. What is similar? What is different?
How do the author and illustrator seem to work to together to make this book come alive?
What is an imaginary place that you might add to this collection? What would it look like?
What Do You Do with a Chance? Author: Kobi Yamada
Illustrator: Mae Besom
Published: July 1, 2016 by Compendium Inc.
Summary: The award–winning creators of The New York Times best sellers What Do You Do With an Idea?and What Do You Do With a Problem? return with a captivating story about a child who isn’t sure what to make of a chance encounter and then discovers that when you have courage, take chances, and say yes to new experiences, amazing things can happen.
In this story, a child is visited by his first chance and unsure what to do with it, he lets it go. Later on, when a new chance arrives he reaches for it, but this time he misses and falls. Embarrassed and afraid, he begins ignoring each new chance that comes by, even though he still wants to take them. Then one day he realizes that he doesn’t need to be brave all the time, just at the right time, to find out what amazing things can happen when he takes a chance.
The final addition to the award-winning What Do You Do With…? picture book series created by New York Times best selling author Kobi Yamada and illustrator by Mae Besom, What Do You Do With a Chance? inspires kids of all ages and parents alike to find the courage to go for the opportunities that come their way. Because you never know when a chance, once taken, might be the one to change everything.
Ricki’s Review:There is something absolutely magical about these books. This author/illustrator team is simply remarkable in their ability to make the abstract come alive. Each semester, I read one of the books from this series aloud to my preservice teachers. They will be teaching in secondary schools, but this book series makes it obvious about how they can powerfully use picture books in their classrooms. After I read the book aloud, I don’t need to go through a long justification of why picture books work well in middle and high schools. What I like about this series is that each book is different from the other two. They overlap in their conceptualization and they all are remarkable choices for the instruction of symbolism and creating writing–but they all teach very different, big ideas. I can see each book pairing well with a different canonical or YA text.
Kellee’s Review:I hope each and every one my students leave my class with is that life is about trying and working hard and being creative and kindness and so much more than just passing tests, and Yamada’s series teaches all of these things in such a beautiful, fun, and inspiring way! The newest book in the series looks at the fear that comes with new things, and I think this is something that is so important to talk to kids about, doing anything different or new can be scary for a bunch of different reasons. And this ranges from toddlers (Trent is afraid of fast rides) to teenagers (who may be afraid of doing something that may look uncool or are too busy to grab a chance when it comes by). I am so sad that this is the final installation of the series, but I am so glad that we have the three we do.
Teacher’s Tools for Navigation: In previous posts for this series, we have discussed how teachers might use this book to teach word choice, symbolism, and creative writing. Teachers might also consider reading all three books aloud to students and talking about the ways they are conceptually similar and different. Students might discuss the paratext of the novels and the marketing of the books. They might also compare and contrast how the books offer completely different, powerful illustrations of abstract ideas.
Discussion Questions: What do you do with a chance?; How do the author and illustrator work together to make the abstract concept of a “chance” more concrete?; What does the book teach about courage?; When have you taken a chance? Did it work out? What did it teach you? What famous people in history have taken chances? What do you think they learned?
If Picasso Painted a Snowman
Author: Amy Newbold
Illustrator: Greg Newbold
Published October 3rd, 2017 by Tilbury House Publishers
Summary: If someone asked you to paint a snowman, you would probably start with three white circles stacked one upon another. Then you would add black dots for eyes, an orange triangle for a nose, and a black dotted smile. But if Picasso painted a snowman…
From that simple premise flows this delightful, whimsical, educational picture book that shows how the artist’s imagination can summon magic from a prosaic subject. Greg Newbold’s chameleon-like artistry shows us Roy Lichtenstein’s snow hero saving the day, Georgia O’Keefe’s snowman blooming in the desert, Claude Monet’s snowmen among haystacks, Grant Wood’s American Gothic snowman, Jackson Pollock’s snowman in ten thousand splats, Salvador Dali’s snowmen dripping like melty cheese, and snowmen as they might have been rendered by J. M. W. Turner, Gustav Klimt, Paul Klee, Marc Chagall, Georges Seurat, Pablita Velarde, Piet Mondrian, Sonia Delaunay, Jacob Lawrence, and Vincent van Gogh. Our guide for this tour is a lively hamster who—also chameleon-like—sports a Dali mustache on one spread, a Van Gogh ear bandage on the next.
“What would your snowman look like?” the book asks, and then offers a page with a picture frame for a child to fill in. Backmatter thumbnail biographies of the artists complete this highly original tour of the creative imagination that will delight adults as well as children.
Review: Trent and I are really big fans of this one! It has become a regular bedtime book. Amy & Greg Newbold did a fantastic job teaching about art and artists while at the same time adding an entertainment factor through an imaginative and narrative aspect. Now, my experience reading this book for the first time is very different than Trent’s and other readers’ experiences will be like because of prior knowledge. Since I already knew the artists, I could pick out the style elements that were included in the snowman artwork, loved many of the snowmen because of how much it did look like the artists’ work, and even found aspects funny. Trent, on the other hand, read the book from a different lens because he saw all the snowmen first then we talked about each artist and using the back matter and internet, he learned about each of the artists.
Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: It would be so interesting to use the book in both ways: either with giving background knowledge ahead of time or introducing the book then the artists. And the book does such a wonderful job promoting creative freedom and sharing that each artist has their own style and medium which would lead to some really great opportunities for students to explore what their artistic style would be.
Discussion Questions:
[After studying an artist not in the book] How do you think ____ would paint/make/create a snowman?
What parts of each artist’s style did the Newbolds utilize when creating If Picasso Painted a Snowman?
Which snowman creation was your favorite? Why?
After reading the back matter, which artist would you like to learn more about?
Compare and contrast a “regular” snowman which each snowman in the book. Compare and contrast the different types of snowmen.
Author Interview: I was lucky enough to ask Amy & Greg interview questions. I chose to ask:
-How did you choose which artists to highlight in your book?
-How did you each prepare for writing the book?
-Any specific reason for the choice of a hamster?
-Other than art history, what do you hope readers get from the book?
Amy: I got the idea for If Picasso Painted a Snowman while visiting the Musee Picasso in Paris, France. Pablo Picasso’s work was so inventive, and I wondered what it would look like if he created a snowman. That was the beginning of the book. I knew right away certain artists that I wanted to include in the book, including Georges Seurat, Jackson Pollock, Piet Mondrian, and Salvador Dali. In the beginning, I wanted to include all my favorite artists, but as the project took shape, it became more important for me to include artists who made a significant contribution to art. Greg and I discussed each artist, as he had to envision how to paint a snowman in the style of that painter. He brought in artists like Paul Klee and Roy Lichtenstein. It was a wonderful experience to research each of these artists and we both gained a deeper appreciation for their work.
The actual writing of the book took place over many months. Some of the lines in the book came easily, while others took quite a bit of time to figure out. I read the text out loud multiple times and made changes if the words weren’t flowing. Greg and I also participated in a workshop at a writing conference where we were able to get critiques on the book during the writing process. Testing out the manuscript in front of a group really helped. I didn’t write the biographies of each artist until we had signed our contract with Tilbury House to do the book. Once we had a contract, I got busy researching so I could write something that is hopefully informative and interesting about each of these amazing painters.
Greg: This project was so much fun that it often felt like playing rather than work. Before beginning a piece, I researched the artist’s style, the materials and techniques that they used and what motifs and design quirks made them unique. Each piece was a treat to work on and for the most part, I feel that I captured some of the essence of what each artist was known for. I learned many new processes but probably the most fun I had was imitating Jackson Pollock’s drip style “action paintings”. Some people look at Pollock’s work and assume that they could do it since all you have to do is splatter paint around. After more study I realized that Pollock’s work is far from random and unplanned. There is an interesting rhythm and process in the way he layered paint. I had a great afternoon in the back yard dancing around my canvas laid on the ground deciding where the next splash of paint would look the best and trying to put it there. My Pollock turned out pretty well and was also used as the endpapers of the book. I was so entertained by the process that I want to do it again.
I designed the hamster in honor of a family pet named Max. He is the visual tour guide through the book, and you can see evidence of him on nearly every page. His presence adds another dimension to the book as he does things like carry a ruler to get straight lines on the Mondrian piece. In another picture, he wears Picasso’s striped shirt, or Monet’s beret. The hamster is not in the text, but offers several fun references for readers in the know. Keep an eye out for him and his wardrobe changes throughout the book!
Amy & Greg: We both hope that this book encourages artists of all ages to have fun with art. It is simply an introduction, an invitation to try different techniques and styles, use unexpected colors, explore and distort shape and line. By looking at the variety of ways artists painted in history, we hope kids understand that they can find and express their own creative vision.
Flagged Passages:
THIS! is how a snowman would look if Picasso painted one.
“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” ~ Albert Einstein
I grew up without digital devices.
I was the child with my nose in a book, or out in the yard slaying dragons, reigning over my kingdom, or teaching school—if I could round up a “student” or two.
Here is how I entered an imaginary world from my backyard: when the wind gusted against bed sheets on the clothesline, I knew if I ran beneath them at the proper moment, I’d find myself in another land. And that was before I’d read about the wardrobe leading to Narnia.
In my Space Boy books, if Niko, in his imagination, has fashioned a spaceship out of a cardboard box, then of course the ship is going to blast off into outer space.
And of course excitement and danger will follow. Luckily, Niko can rely on his loyal crew: Tag, his dog, and Radar, his copilot.
Robert Neubecker’s illustrations depict Radar as a toy robot who morphs into a full-sized partner, overcoming the bad guys with Niko and Tag. Plus, Radar smartly knows how to navigate a spaceship. Makes perfect sense in Niko’s pretend world.
Today, children are entertained too often by their devices, with fewer opportunities to get lost in their imaginations. As a former elementary teacher, I know that pretend play is essential to cognitive and social development, as well as creativity. One of the best exercises in imagination is reading–or being read to. A story’s ups and downs are vividly played out in a young reader’s mind.
In backyard role-playing games, children can try on various roles: a fighter pilot, a parent, a puppy. All they need is a cardboard box, maybe a stuffed toy, and perhaps even a sibling. Then off goes their imagination.
Illustrator friend Doug Cushman shared this with me: “During school programs, I’d ask a child to scribble something on my drawing pad in front of the class. Then I’d turn the scribble into a character and create a fun background.
The class would brainstorm a story to go with the images. Their collective imaginations were incredible. The exercise showed that ideas can come from anywhere, even a mere scribble.”
One of the nicest bits of feedback I’ve received about the Space Boy books is from a mom who told me that her kids don’t just read Niko’s stories—they act them out. Bingo—pretend play! Which is exactly what Space Boy is doing in his story within a story.
Here’s to limiting device time for our children, and sending them outside to create their own adventures in imaginary worlds, on other planets like Niko–or at least to lose themselves in a good book.
About the Author: Dian Curtis Regan is the author of more than 60 books for young readers, ranging from picture books to YA novels. Her books have received many honors, including Best Books for Young Adults, Children’s Choice Awards, Junior Library Guild selections, Los Angeles Times Recommended Book, and New York Public Library’s Best Books. Space Boy and the Space Pirate was a 2017 finalist for the Colorado Book Award, and the winner of a 2017 Crystal Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. Space Boy and the Snow Monster is brand new this fall. Dian lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado. To learn more, and to download a curriculum guide, visit diancurtisregan.com and spaceboybooks.com.
About the Illustrator: Robert Neubecker is the award-winning author-illustrator of Wow! City!, Wow! America!, and Wow! School!, and the illustrator of The Problem with Not Being Scared of Monsters and its companion The Problem with Not Being Scared of Kids. He lives in Park City, Utah. Visit neubecker.com.
About the Book: Niko and his crew are digging their spaceship out of a snowdrift when Radar, Niko’s robot copilot, disappears. Oh, no! Was he captured by a Snow Monster? They blast off on a rescue mission to Planet Ice, only to find the Snow Monster building an army of scary snowmen. Then they get tricked by a Killer Bunny! Can Niko rescue Radar, flee the Snowmen Army, outwit the Killer Bunny, and fly his crew back to Planet Home in time for hot cocoa?
