I has assumed the title of Ann Sue Hak’s 2024 picture book The House Before Falling Into the Sea was metaphoric–some symbol of something that […]
A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests
Okay, I’ll admit it: I was skeptical about A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests. A lot of kids books about poetry are forced, or […]
It Began With a Page
Gyo Fujikawa was a writer, illustrator, and designer. She wrote and illustrated her own books, illustrated others’ books, and did other artistic projects, such as […]
Unspeakable
Many picture books are light. They strike a happy tone, and only dip into darkness occasionally. That’s not the case here. The subtitle of Unspeakable […]
Big Ole
I live in Bellingham, Washington. It’s a good-sized town about 85 miles north of Seattle. It’s fairly artistic and literate, and I got curious if […]
The Great Migration
The Great Migration: An American Story is another of those picture books that I’m not at all sure really is a picture book, or at […]
We Are American, Too
Some picture books play out in their own worlds. They happen in imaginary realms and unspecified times. Some–a few–are timeless. They make such an impression […]
All Star: How Larry Doby Smashed the Color Barrier in Baseball
I enjoyed reading All Star, and also approve of it. As a lifelong baseball fan who is also a supporter of civil rights, I welcome […]
Steamboat School
Steamboat School is presented in a color scheme that suggests the sepia of old photos, or an older book that has faded with the passage […]
The Bill of Rights
Since today is the 4th of July, I thought I’d take a look at The Bill of Rights: A Kid’s Guide to Freedom in America […]