Read Aloud – Page 75 – Unleashing Readers

Stormy Night by Salina Yoon

July 10, 2015July 10, 2015 by Kellee

Stormy Night
Author and Illustrator: Salina Yoon
Published January 6th, 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

Goodreads Summary: When thunder shakes his house and rain pounds the windows, Bear is frightened. But comforting his Mama, Papa, and Floppy helps make the storm seem not so scary. Before Bear knows it, the storm has passed, because even storms need their sleep . . . and so do bears.

My Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: Living in Florida means that we have pretty bad storms about 4-6 months of the year, so I really would see how this book could be used by parents and teachers to discuss ways to overcome storm anxiety. I could see a class that is being held (sometimes for hours) in class after dismissal because of a storm sitting around reading this book and discussing how a storm can be scary but that the end would come soon. I, being from tornado alley, had storm nightmares for years and storms still scare me, and I really think that a book like this would be a great read for kids that have the anxiety I have. I also love how Yoon had the little bear become the “strong one” during the storm to help him forget about what he is afraid of. This is a great strategy for helping kids forget about something that is scary.

Like always, Yoon’s illustrations are just so wonderful–I love how they completely cover the page and are so colorful. Also, Yoon also always captures her characters’ emotions so well! Her books are always a pleasure to read, and I look forward to getting them.

Discussion Questions: How does Bear overcome his fear? How did his mom help? Hid dad?; Have you ever been scared during a storm? What did you do to make it through the storm?

We Flagged:

Read This If You Loved: Found by Salina Yoon, On my way to Bed by Sarah Maizes, A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na, The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, Nightime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta

Recommended For:

**Thank you to Linette at Bloomsbury for providing a copy for review!**

Heather Has Two Mommies by Lesléa Newman

July 9, 2015 by Ricki

Heather Has Two Mommies
Author: Lesléa Newman
Illustrator: Laura Cornell
Published March 11, 2015 by Candlewick Press (First Published October 28, 1989)

Goodreads Summary: Candlewick relaunches a modern classic for this generation with an all-new, beautifully illustrated edition.

Heather’s favorite number is two. She has two arms, two legs, and two pets. And she also has two mommies. When Heather goes to school for the first time, someone asks her about her daddy, but Heather doesn’t have a daddy. Then something interesting happens. When Heather and her classmates all draw pictures of their families, not one drawing is the same. It doesn’t matter who makes up a family, the teacher says, because “the most important thing about a family is that all the people in it love one another.” This delightful edition for a new generation of young readers features fresh illustrations by Laura Cornell and an updated story by Lesléa Newman.

Ricki’s Review: This is a timeless classic, and I am so glad that Candlewick decided to republish it with new illustrations. I’ve always known what this book is about, but I’d never read it in its entirety. Heather’s story is one of many children growing up in the United States. She comes from a nontraditional family. I am sure that many parents have anxiety about sending their children to school because kids can be cruel. However, with some understanding and with books like these, children can understand that many of their peers come from different families, and this provides enrichment in the classroom. This book should be a staple in early elementary school classrooms. It teaches empathy.

Kellee’s Review: I love that this isn’t a book about LBGT families as much as it is a book about how there are so many different kinds of families. Although it seems a bit syrupy sweet at times, I think that tone was needed to be an introduction to a subject that may be new or different for readers. I think this book is an important one. I know that critics will say that the book is preachy, but if it is preachy about anything, it is about how everyone’s family is unique yet full of love.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: The activity that the teacher uses in this book is one that should begin every kindergarten curriculum. Children should understand that loving families come in so many different forms. We’d love to pair this book with books like And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell. Students could read various books that deliver this message and talk about their similarities and differences. Kids might also write about a time that they felt different and how it made them feel. From an artistic side, teachers might show students the original 1989 publication of this book and ask them to compare the two versions of the text.

Discussion Questions: What kinds of nontraditional families can you think of? What do these families have in common?; What role does Heather’s favorite number play in this book? Did it enhance your reading of the story?; When have you felt different from other kids? How does this compare to Heather’s experience?

We Flagged: “‘What does your daddy do?’ David asks Heather.

‘I don’t have a daddy,’ Heather says. She looks around the circle and wonders, Am I the only one here who doesn’t have a daddy?“

Read This If You Loved: And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell; ABC A Family Alphabet Book by Bobbie Combs; Donovan’s Big Day by Lesléa Newman; Daddy, Papa, and Me by Lesléa Newman; The Family Book by Todd Parr; King and King by Linda de Haan; A Tale of Two Daddies and A Tale of Two Mommies by Vanita Oelschlager; October Mourning by Lesléa Newman

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Candlewick Press for providing copies for review!**

2015 Big Book Summer Challenge: Revolution by Deborah Wiles & East of Eden by John Steinbeck

July 8, 2015 by Kellee

Big Book Summer Challenge is a challenge hosted by Sue at Book by Book. The inspiration behind the challenge is to push the bigger books to the top of the TBR pile during summer time.

The Details:

Anything over 400 pages qualifies as a big book.
The challenge will run from Memorial Day weekend (starting May 22 this year) through Labor Day weekend (Labor Day is September 7 this year).
Choose one or two or however many big books you want as your goal. Wait, did you get that? You only need to read 1 book with over 400 pages this summer to participate! (Though you are welcome to read more, if you want.)
Choose from what’s on your shelves already or a big book you’ve been meaning to read for ages or anything that catches your eye in the library – whatever peaks your interest!
Sign up on Book by Book.
Write a post to kick things off – you can list the exact big books you plan to read or just publish your intent to participate, but be sure to include the Big Book Summer Challenge pic above, with a link back to Book by Book.
Write a post to wrap up at the end, listing the big books you read during the summer.
You can write progress posts if you want to and/or reviews of the big books you’ve read…but you don’t have to! There is a separate links list below for big book review posts.

Today, we are combining the last three bullet points–we both have finished our big books!

Kellee

Revolution
Author: Deborah Wiles
Published May 27th, 2014 by Scholastic Press
538 pages

Goodreads Summary: It’s 1964, and Sunny’s town is being invaded. Or at least that’s what the adults of Greenwood, Mississippi, are saying. All Sunny knows is that people from up north are coming to help people register to vote. They’re calling it Freedom Summer.

Meanwhile, Sunny can’t help but feel like her house is being invaded, too. She has a new stepmother, a new brother, and a new sister crowding her life, giving her little room to breathe. And things get even trickier when Sunny and her brother are caught sneaking into the local swimming pool — where they bump into a mystery boy whose life is going to become tangled up in theirs.

As she did in her groundbreaking documentary novel Countdown, award-winning author Deborah Wiles uses stories and images to tell the riveting story of a certain time and place — and of kids who, in a world where everyone is choosing sides, must figure out how to stand up for themselves and fight for what’s right.

*A 2014 National Book Award Finalist

Kellee’s Thoughts: What is so amazing about this book is that it doesn’t feel like a big book. Well, it FEELS like a big book because it is heavy and thick, but when you are done reading, it doesn’t feel like you had to trudge through anything. Not once did I feel like there were too many pages. Wiles does an amazing job filling each and every page with important information for the historical context, characterization, or plot development.

Revolution is a perfectly-crafted look at one of the toughest times in American history. What Wiles does is truly delve into the emotions felt during the Freedom Summer and some of the smaller actions that may not have made the history books. One of my favorite things about Wiles’s Sixties Trilogy books is that she includes historical resources throughout the book that truly puts the story in context. The primary sources/stories and other embedded pieces of history really show that the narrative she has created is not truly a work of fiction. It may include fictional characters, but the setting, the feelings, the conflict, the time period, the history–those are all fact.

Revolution couldn’t work without the Sunny and her cast of characters though. This book could have gone terribly wrong if the voice, thoughts, and feelings of our protagonist were not so believable since Wiles was having us learn about such a tumultuous time through the eyes of a child. However, no need to worry about that because Sunny is perfect. She is easy to connect to and seems true. My favorite characters are those around her that push her and help change her: Annabelle, Jo Ellen, and Ray. Annabelle is so patient, truly loves Sunny, and has some of the best lines in the book; Jo Ellen is so head-strong, forward-thinking, and intelligent; and Ray is just crazy but also overwhelmingly brave.

I am part of an informal Twitter book club, and our June read was Revolution. Deborah Wiles even stopped by to chat with us! If you are interested in reading it, I archived it here. Warning: There may be spoilers if you haven’t read the book. Some of my favorite quotes from the chat that truly show the impact of the book are:

“What a brilliant idea Deborah Wiles had with these books–to embed all of the history.” -Carrie Gelson

“Sunny’s story hit my heart.” -Michele Knott

“Countdown and Revolution are like…seeing beyond the headlines.” -Cheriee Weichel

“So hard to read how something you think people could do (register) but couldn’t because of effects (lose job, name in paper, etc.)” -Michele Knott

“It took Sunny witnessing the civil unrest to grow up and realize how to accept her own life.” -Kellee Moye

“There is so much about the Civil Rights Movement that seems like it should be easy, but ignorance stops it.” Kellee Moye

“Immerse as much as possible.” -Deborah Wiles, referencing part of her research process

Favorite quote from the book: “Everything is connected. Every choice matters.Every person is vital, valuable, and worthy of respect.” pg. 361

Recommended For:

Ricki

I also plan to tackle Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, as well, but I am not sure if I will make it by the end of the summer. East of Eden was quite an epic read!

East of Eden
Author: John Steinbeck
Published in 1952
601 pages

Goodreads Summary: Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—whose generations helplessly reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel. Here Steinbeck created some of his most memorable characters and explored his most enduring themes: the mystery of identity; the inexplicability of love; and the murderous consequences of love’s absence.

Ricki’s Thoughts: I’ve had this book on my to-be-read list for several years. In fact, I realized I own three identical copies of it, so I have considered reading it for quite some time. I love Of Mice and Men and Grapes of Wrath. In fact, I love the six or so Steinbeck books I’ve read. I’d heard this book was related to the Cain/Abel story, so I never got around to reading it because I thought I knew the ending. As an aside, I didn’t, but even if all of my predictions were accurate, it still would have been well worth the read.

The book consists of several interwoven stories and families. Two good friends (who aren’t avid readers) listened to this book in the car, and they continually urged me to read it. When I finally started, they kept saying, “We know which character you will love.” Sam Hamilton is a good man–a salt of the Earth kind of man. He reminds me of Slim for Of Mice and Men. Essentially, he teaches us what it means to be good to the very hollows of our souls. Another character who will stick with me forever is Cathy. Phew. She is quite a complex character—a sociopath, I would say—and her evilness makes my skin crawl. She is unlike any other character I’ve ever read. I could continue forward and describe more characters, but it feels as if I won’t do them justice.

The story does meander at times, but anyone who appreciates Steinbeck’s work knows that this is, in fact, a positive quality. His stories feel very true to life. We don’t follow plot diagrams. I will never forget reading this book. The story and its characters will stay with me forever. I highly recommend it.

A few great quotes that depict the beauty of Steinbeck’s words:

“I believe a strong woman may be stronger than a man, particularly if she happens to have love in her heart. I guess a loving woman is indestructible.”

“All great and precious things are lonely.”

“I believe that there is one story in the world, and only one. . . . Humans are caught—in their lives, in their thoughts, in their hungers and ambitions, in their avarice and cruelty, and in their kindness and generosity too—in a net of good and evil. . . . There is no other story. A man, after he has brushed off the dust and chips of his life, will have left only the hard, clean questions: Was it good or was it evil? Have I done well—or ill?”

“There’s more beauty in truth, even if it is dreadful beauty.”

Recommended For:

Thank you to Sue for hosting the challenge and pushing us!

What big books do you have planned for the summer? You should join in the challenge too!

and

From Kellee’s (Huge) Library Pile Part Seven | Bear Alert by David Bierdrycki, Special Delivery by Philip C. Stead, Orangutanka by Margarita Engle, & Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson

July 4, 2016July 3, 2015 by Kellee

Because of It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? posts, I find myself often with huge piles of picture books from the library that were highly recommended by fellow bloggers. I celebrate many of the nonfiction pictures books on Wednesdays, but I want to share some of the fiction picture books I have enjoyed. So, I decided to start series here on UR where I can pass on the love for these books sporadically as I read them. Here is a list of some great pictures books that I’ve read recently from my huge library pile (part 7!).

Breaking News: Bear Alert
Author and Illustrator: David Bierdrycki
Published September 9th, 2014 by Charlesbridge

I am so glad that I read this book! The story is simple enough: Two bears escape into the city and cause a panic; however, there is more going on than anyone realizes. This book tells its story through “Breaking News” segments that show all the different situations the bears are getting into. In each spread, the text says one thing, but the illustrations show another. There are also lots of other things going on in the illustrations including a whole different side story and many, many things that could be discussed. It is almost like Where’s Waldo? but without being told what to look for. There are some really great allusions and humor within this book as well.

Special Delivery
Author: Philip C. Stead
Illustrator: Matthew Cordell
Published March 3rd, 2015 by Roaring Books Press

This is a book that is getting a lot of love recently, and I now know why. Special Delivery takes Stead’s silly adventure story and puts Cordell’s colorful and quirky illustrations with it to make one grand adventure. Although the story was a bit over the top, it all added up to a fun, crazy story about a young girl that had to get an elephant to her Great Aunt Josephine and the cast of “characters” (alligator, a train, bandits, ice cream truck, air plane, etc.) who help her get him there. I found Stead’s humor to be laugh-out-loud funny and Cordell’s illustrations to be a perfect companion (did they remind anyone else of Quentin Blake, one of my favorite illustrators ever?!).

Orangutanka: A Story in Poems
Author: Margarita Engle
Illustrator: Renee Kurilla
Published March 24th, 2015 by Henry Holt and Co.

This book is right up my alley! As you all know, I love apes and orangutans might just be my favorite; however, they very rarely show up in text, so I was so happy to learn about this one. (Whoever told me to read this text, you definitely know me!) Additionally, I just love Engle’s work. I haven’t read anything by her that I haven’t enjoyed, and Orangutanka is definitely no exception. This text tells us a story of an orangutan family in tankas, a style of modern Japanese poetry. Tankas are more fun than haikus and allow for more freedom which makes for a playful book about our orangutan family. The colorful and page-encompassing illustrations add to the overall fun feel of the book. I also really like that at the end of the book, Engle included information about orangutans, their endangered habitat, and the dangers of palm oil and didn’t ignore the seriousness of the orangutan’s situation.

Sidewalk Flowers
Author: JonArno Lawson
Illustrator: Sydney Smith
Published March 17th, 2015 by Groundwood Books

This wordless picture book beautifully illustrates how kindness spreads. When the book opens, only the little girl who is collecting flowers is in color. As she walks home with her distracted father, the little girl stops and finds flowers within the city in the most unlikely places. She sees beauty where others do not. She then spreads her love and happiness by giving away the flowers she has collected. As she gives away her flowers, more color is added to the illustrations to show how a kind gesture can light up anyone’s day. Beautiful. (Reminds me of The Man with the Violin by Kathy Stinson.)

What picture books should I add to my pile next?

Want to see Part One? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Two? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Three? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Four? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Five: We Need Diverse Books (NF)? You can view it HERE.
Want to see Part Six: We Need Diverse Books (F)? You can view it HERE.

Sofi and the Magic, Musical Mural by Raquel M. Ortiz

July 2, 2015 by Kellee

Sofi and the Magic, Musical Mural
Sofi y el Mágico Mural Musical
Author: Raquel M. Ortiz
Illustrator: Maria Dominguez
Published May 31st, 2015 by Piñata Books

Goodreads Summary: When Sofi walks through her barrio to the local store, she always passes a huge mural with images from Puerto Rico: musicians, dancers, tropical flowers and—her least favorite—a vejigante, a character from carnival that wears a scary mask.

One day on her way home from the bodega, she stops in front of the mural. Is one of the dancers inviting her to be his partner? “Okay, let’s dance,” Sofi giggles, and suddenly she’s in Old San Juan, surrounded by dancers and musicians playing bongos, tambourines and güiros. She begins to dance and sing with her new friends, but her pleasure turns to fear when the vejigante—wearing a black jumper with yellow fringe and a red, three-horned mask—spins her around and around! What does he want from her? How can she get away?

This story about an imaginative girl and a magical mural is an engaging exploration of Puerto Rico’s cultural traditions as well as an ode to public art and the community it depicts. Featuring Maria Dominguez’s lovingly rendered, colorful illustrations, this bilingual picture book introduces the topic of community art to children ages 4 to 8. After reading this book, children—and some adults too—will want to make and share their own artistic creations!

Ricki’s Review: While this book offers much enrichment due to the Spanish/English language, I most liked how it was a book about imagination. Sofía’s mind takes her to a great many places, and the Puerto Rican culture emanates from this text. I loved the beautiful illustrations and the ways the words danced from page to page. I am passing this book along to a Spanish teacher to use in her classroom because it has much to offer students.

Kellee’s Review: Sofía’s adventure is a great introduction to Puerto Rican culture. I loved being transported into Puerto Rico and learning about the music, mythology, and landscape of the U.S. territory. I learned so much reading this book, and I found myself rereading after visiting the glossary in the back of the book. I also, as the daughter of an art museum director, loved the focus on community art. Maria’s story of the mural featured in the book shows how powerful art can be.

Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: After a class reads this book, the teacher might ask students to write their own picture book translations. They could pair with a Spanish class in the school to do an interdisciplinary unit. Additionally, teachers might ask students to find a famous painting and write a picture book or story about getting lost in that painting. There are many creative opportunities with this text.

Discussion Questions: Sofía visits different parts of Puerto Rico on her journey within the mural. Look at a map of Puerto Rico and map where she visited. Many different types of instruments and music are mentioned in the text. Listen to examples of the different instruments and styles of music then create a web describing what you hear.

We Flagged: “Suddenly, Sofía found herself in the middle of Viejo San Juan, on the island of Puerto Rico, surrounded by the music of tambourines, bongos, maracas, and güiros.

‘W-W-W-What’s going on?” stuttered Sofia.
‘Well, you said you wanted to dance!” her new friend said.

Sofía, too shocked to do anything else, began to dance.
Before she knew it, a group of musicians and dancers made a circle around them. They were singing a famous plena song:

The plena music that I know
is not from China, it comes from home.
Because the plena was born in Ponce
it’s from teh barrio of San Antón.”

Read This If You Loved: Magic Windows by Carmen Lomas Garza, Little Roja Riding Hood by Susan Middleton Elya

Recommended For:

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**Thank you to Eloisa at Arte Público Press for providing copies for review!**

Flight of the Honey Bee by Raymond Huber

June 17, 2015June 17, 2015 by Kellee

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday is hosted by Kid Lit Frenzy and was started to help promote the reading of nonfiction texts. Most Wednesdays, we will be participating and will review a nonfiction text (though it may not always be a picture book).
Be sure to visit Kid Lit Frenzy and see what other nonfiction books are shared this week!

Flight of the Honey Bee
Author: Raymond Huber
Illustrator: Brian Lovelock
Published September 10th, 2013 by Candlewick Press

Goodreads Summary: Follow the flight of a honey bee as she searches for nectar to sustain her hive and, along the way, pollinates flowers to produce seeds and fruits.

A tiny honey bee emerges from the hive for the first time. Using sunlight, landmarks, and scents to remember the path, she goes in search of pollen and nectar to share with the thousands of other bees in her hive. She uses her powerful sense of smell to locate the flowers that sustain her, avoids birds that might eat her, and returns home to share her finds with her many sisters. Nature lovers and scientists-to-be are invited to explore the fascinating life of a honey bee.

Kellee’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I love books that mix narrative and information nonfiction within one book. This text introduces Scout as she exits the hive and goes about her bee-siness (hehe!). This part of the story is told as a story. Then on each page, there is information about bees in general to help the reader understand Scout’s journey. This unique text structure mixed with the realistic yet artistic illustrations really makes Flight compelling to read. In addition to learning about bees and the vocabulary included in the book, this book could be a great addition to a lit circle inquiry group about insects or as a mentor text to create student narrative and informational mixed writing about a animal after researching.

Ricki’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: I read this book aloud to my son while he was eating breakfast, and he was captivated by the illustrations and story. I immediately texted Kellee and told her we had to schedule a day to review it! I had a lot of fun following Scout on her adventure, and I know kids will become so engaged in this story that they will forget they are learning. I thought I knew a lot about bees, but I was surprised by how much information is packed into this text. Readers will cheer for Scout as she encounters obstacles. I try to integrate nonfiction into every unit, and this would be a great book to show students just how accessible nonfiction can be. Then, they could pick a creature or object in nature, conduct research, and write their own narrative nonfiction texts.

Discussion Questions: How do bees help the environment and humans?; How can we help save the bees?; What are the different types of bees? Why are they all important?

Flight of the Honey Bee Teacher Guide from Candlewick

We Flagged:

flight of the honey page — (c) 2013 Raymond Huber http://www.raymondhuber.co.nz/

Read This If You Loved: Lifetime by Lola M. Schaefer, Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman, The Alphabet of Bugs by Valerie Gates

Recommended For:

and

**Thank you to Candlewick for providing copies of the text for review!!**

Blog Tour, Review, Giveaway, and Author & Illustrator Interview!: My Dog is the Best by Laurie Ann Thompson, Illustrated by Paul Schmid

July 27, 2015June 12, 2015 by Ricki

My Dog is the Best
Author: Laurie Ann Thompson
Illustrator: Paul Schmid
Published: June 9, 2015 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Goodreads Summary: What do you get when you combine one energetic, enthusiastic little boy with his sleepy but tolerant dog? Unconditional love. Using simple words and spare illustrations, My Dog Is the Best celebrates the special bond that exists between a young child and a beloved family pet. It’s the heartwarming story of two best friends. . . told by a boy with a very active imagination.

Ricki’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This charming tale will surely win the hearts of many children. It made me feel a bit guilty that I don’t have a dog for my son! I can imagine teachers reading this story aloud to captivated audiences. Teachers might ask students to compare this story with others in their classrooms. The way the illustrator and text focuses on the two subjects makes their friendship shine. You can find an example of the text’s playfulness in the flagged page below. It made me smile! After reading this story, I would encourage my students to write their own stories about friendships that they have.

Kellee’s Review and Teachers’ Tools for Navigation: This book makes me want a dog (and like Ricki said, I feel a bit guilty for not having a dog for Trent!). I loved this sweet story of a sleepy dog and a rambunctious child who is going to have fun with his dog no matter what the dog thinks about it. The play between the words and illustrations is what really made this book special and made the quiet humor really ring through. I also think that kids are really going to like the end of the book. Like Ricki, I think that this text could be a great mentor text for writing about times of imagination and friendship. What other ways could the boy have played with the dog? How do you play with your pet/toy? I also think that it is a great story to use to talk about humor and irony. Why was the ending funny?

Discussion Questions: What kinds of games do you play with your best friend/pet/toy?; Do you have a pet? How is your relationship with your pet similar or dissimilar with this story?; In what ways is it obvious that the author and illustrator worked together to create this book? How do the drawings enhance the story?; Why is the ending ironic?

We Flagged:

My Dog is the Best spread — Image from: http://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374300517

Read This if You Loved: Look! by Jeff Mack; The Poky Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey; May the Best Dog Win by Kelly Hashway; Bark, George by Jules Feiffer; Emmanuel’s Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson

Recommended For:

Interview with the Laurie Ann Thompson and Paul Schmid!

Questions to Laurie:

What inspired you to write this book?

I first wrote the text as an assignment for a course I was taking, Anastasia Suen’s Easy Reader/Chapter Book Workshop. I’ve always loved dogs, and it’s a great word for beginning readers, so I started there. I noticed that most of the time when I said, “Good dog!” to my poor old dog, Sara, she was either curling up and getting ready to go to sleep or already sleeping. She would give me this confused look that said, “What? I’m not doing anything!” She’d been a hyperactive, crazy dog in her younger years, so it was a huge relief when she finally started slowing down a little. I appreciated the humor in those interactions. At the same time, I had an awfully busy little boy at home, so both the tension between their very different energy levels and their special “best friends” relationship were natural ingredients for the story.

Did you have a specific dog when you were growing up that you were thinking of as you wrote this book?

It’s really a collection of all of them. My dogs were my best friends, and they put up with so much of my probably unwanted attention. I had one special dog named Sammy that I used to dress up in doll clothes, push in a baby swing, and take for rides in my bicycle basket. (He loved those last two activities, but I’m pretty sure he merely tolerated the first!) He was the best. When I was bit older, my dog Ripper used to wait at the end of our driveway—every single day—for the school bus to bring me home. He listened to all of my tales of teenage angst and always let me dry my tears on his fur. He was devoted and dependable. He was the best. Then, as an adult, there was Sara. She was the best, too. I think whatever dog we make room for in our lives becomes “the best,” just by virtue of us loving them.

You write both YA and children’s books. How is your writing process different for each?

It’s very different! For my YA books, I’m a rather obsessive planner. I research and outline, then research some more and revise the outline and so on, for a long time, before I’m finally ready to start writing. For my picture books, I like to just play. I just start writing and see what happens. As a result, I typically spend less time revising the YA books than the picture books, even though the picture books are much, much shorter! It usually takes a lot of revision to make a picture book work just right.

What was it like to work with an illustrator?

With my YA books, like Be a Changemaker, there is no illustrator, so the final product is the result of the collaboration between my editors and me—and we’re all primarily word people. As a picture book author, though, it’s always exciting to see what another person with a very different way of working and of seeing the world will bring to my original vision. Authors don’t usually get much say in the illustrations (and rightly so, as I surely am no art expert!). With my second book (and first picture book), Emmanuel’s Dream, I had never met the illustrator, Sean Qualls, and I didn’t see any of his stunning artwork until it was almost all finished. I was on pins and needles, but what a pleasant surprise! For My Dog Is the Best the experience was a bit unusual but every bit as special. It just happened that Paul Schmid and I live not far apart and had known each other for years. When he took on the manuscript, I was ecstatic! We kept in touch throughout the process, and I even got to spend a day collaborating with him in his studio—one of my all-time favorite writing days ever! We both ended up influencing both the art and the text, and we ended up with something we’re both really proud of.

Questions to Paul:

How did you decide what the characters would look like?

Initially, I form a clear picture of the characters personalities. Are they active? Sedentary? Outgoing or shy? The design of a character should provide solid clues to who they are. Our dog in the book just wants to nap, and I imagined an old, tolerant, comfortable Basset Hound of established habits. The boy is much more active, but young and naive. He is also sweet and loving, as the book is itself. So I felt the boy needed a kind, gullible, gentle look that was at the same time visually sympathetic to his dog, in order to form an emotional connection between the two for the reader. As a result, they both ended up round and gentle looking.

What does the artistic process look like?

Many many sketches. Then many more. Then a few more. Eventually I have to start the final art. I don’t think I ever really feel like I’m done improving things, but a deadline shows up and helps me stop.

Early sketch of the dog