Picture book honors essential workers during pandemic

Keeping the City Going

Written and illustrated by Brian Floca

A Caitlyn Dlouhy Book, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2021

“Keeping the City Going” is a story about the essential workers who kept New York City going during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic when people quarantined at home.

“We are here at home now,” the story begins, “watching the world through our windows, and wondering what will happen next.

“Outside, the city is strangely still. Store doors are locked and their windows are dark and our neighbors all stay hidden. The voice of the city is low, and the streets are almost empty.”

Floca’s muted illustrations in watercolor, ink, acrylic, and gouache, beautifully create the quiet city. His lyrical words work with the images to tell the story.

“There are still some people out on the streets,” Floca writes, “driving this and that, heading from here to there. They might be family, friends, or strangers. They’re there because we need them. They’re the people keeping the city going.”

Floca mentions food delivery people riding bicycles, truck delivery people, bus drivers, subway workers, and grocery store employees.

He also tells of the taxi drivers, sanitation workers, mail carriers, package delivery truck drivers, and those who keep the water, gas, and electricity flowing and the phones and internet working.

Finally, he remembers the fire fighters, police, paramedics, EMTs, doctors, nurses, technicians, aides, clerks and cleaners.

The story concludes with a description of how New Yorkers quarantined at home go to their windows every evening at seven o’clock. They hang out of their windows, clang pots together, and cheer for the essential workers.

“We hear the city say to us – and we say back to the city that we are still here, and we are here together,” he writes.  

“We hear the city say, and we say with the city – and we all say together --- thanks to the people still out on the streets, driving this and that, going from here to there, and taking care of the sick. Thanks to the people keeping our city going.”

This is a nice tribute to the essential workers. Children will enjoy looking at the pictures and remembering the early days of the pandemic. Parents can talk with them about how everyone depended on the workers who kept the city going.

About the Author and Illustrator

Brian Floca is the author and illustrator of “Locomotive,” winner of the Caldecott Medal and a Robert F. Sibert Honor Book; “Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11,” a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book and Sibert Honor Book; and “Lightship,” also a Sibert Honor Book. He has illustrated numerous other books, including Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan’s “Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring,” Laura Amy Schlitz’s “Princess Cora and the Crocodile,” and Avi Poppy Stories’ novels.  Brian lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. Visit him at brianfloca.com.

‘Cougar Crossing’ tells story of heroic Hollywood cougar

 

Cougar Crossing: How Hollywood’s Celebrity Cougar Helped Build a Bridge for City Wildlife

Written by Meeg Pincus and illustrated by Alexander Vidal

Beach Lane Books, 2021

A puma was born in the Santa Monica Mountains, but when he became an adult, he couldn’t find a territory of his own in the national park. He wandered down into the city.

Eventually, he reached freeways, and by some miracle, he made it safely across twenty lanes of traffic. He ended up in a city park, Griffith Park. This was 17 times smaller than a typical cougar territory.

There were no other cougar scents around, but he found prey – mostly deer, and sometimes a coyote or a raccoon. He hid from humans and slept during the day.

After a few weeks, wildlife biologists tracked him down and tagged and collared him. They gave him the name P-22. That meant he was the twenty-second puma in their study.

Soon P-22 became famous when the news media did stories about him. People became interested in making a wildlife crossing. This is a wide animal bridge covered in trees and grass to connect the city’s last natural spaces to mountain ranges and open land to the north.

This would allow P-22 and others like him to safely cross expressways, and find their way to natural habitat where they could find mates and live.  

“Cougar Crossing” concluded saying P-22 was a hero because concern about him spearheaded a movement to build an animal crossing in Los Angeles.

At the back of the book, facts are given about the mountain lions that live in Los Angeles and efforts to build an animal crossing in Liberty Canyon over the 101 freeway. This crossing is projected to break ground in 2021 and be completed in 2024. It will be the largest animal bridge in the world.

Illustrator Alexander Vidal’s digital images help to tell the story both in the main narrative about P-22, and sidebar conversations between two wildlife biologists.

Children would enjoy learning about this true-life story about one heroic puma and how special bridges can help wildlife live safely in a large city.

About the Author

Meeg Pincus has written many children’s books including the acclaimed “Miep and the Most Famous Diary” and “Winged Wonders.” She grew up in and lives in Southern California. Visit her at MeegPincus.com.    

About the Illustrator

Alexander Vidal lives and works in Los Angeles at the edge of Griffith Park, the park where P-22 lives. He is an illustrator who specializes in nature and wild animals. He has worked with clients including the National Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. His books for children include “I Love Birds: 52 Ways to Wonder, Wander & Explore Birds with Kids” by Jennifer Ward and “So Many Feet” by Nichole Mara. Visit him at AlexanderVidal.com.

Spring Fling Kidlit Writing Contest

Crickets Sing Me to Sleep

By Elizabeth Voss

Goodnight, Sweetheart," says Mom. She bends to kiss my head.

But I’m not sleepy yet; I peek outside instead.

 

Blink-BLINK-blink-BLINK-blink-BLINK.

The fireflies’ lights flick on.

And off and on and off. They’re lighting up the lawn.

 

Flit-FLIT-flit-FLIT-flit-FLIT.

Moths dance in beams of light.

They spin in dizzy rings to celebrate the night.

 

I’m getting kind of sleepy – I lie back down.

I close my eyes and listen; night is full of sounds.

 

Vroom-VROOM-vroom-VROOM-vroom-VROOM.

A car goes rumbling by.

Bump-BUMPing on the road, then fading like a sigh.

 

Croak-CROAK-croak-CROAK-croak-CROAK.

The toads cry out a song.

They raise their voices in a happy sing-along.

 

RiBBIT-riBBIT-riBBIT, the frogs are chanting too.

They cluck and whistle: it’s a hullabaloo.

 

Creee-CREEE-creee-CREEE-creee-CREEE.

Crickets sing me to sleep.

Creee-CREEE-creee-CREEE-creee-CREEE. They’re lulling me so deep.

 

Purr-PURR-purr-PURR-purr-PURR.

It’s Sylvie, sweetest pea.

She crawls along my legs and snuggles next to me.

 

Zzzzzzzzzz...

Gorgeous book celebrates both art, New York City

 

Mona Lisa in New York

Written and illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg

Prestel Publishing, 2021

Mona Lisa from the famous painting at the Louvre in Paris one day decides she wants to go to New York City so people from far away can admire her beauty.

She sails across the ocean and goes to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New Yorkers line up to see her and admire her beauty.

On her last day in the city, Mona Lisa secretly leaves her painting so she can explore the city. She gets lost and then meets Tag, a character created by a Brooklyn graffiti artist.

Together the two listen to jazz in Harlem, eat pizza in the Bronx, dance salsa on the High Line, and go swimming at Brighton Beach.

Tag brings Mona Lisa back to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and sadly walks across the Brooklyn Bridge heading back home.

When he gets home, he can’t believe his eyes. There’s Mona Lisa smiling her mysterious smile.

“My home is Paris,” she says. “But my heart is in New York City.”

The author-illustrator Yevgenia Nayberg creates a beautiful book with her collage illustrations. Hidden in the pages are many images from paintings by Sandro Botticelli, Jan van Eyck, Filippo Lippi, and many others.

At the back of the book, Nayberg gives a thank-you to all of the paintings she has referenced in her images. Children can have fun looking up the paintings and then searching for them in the pages of this book.   

Like Mona Lisa, Nayberg is not a native New Yorker. She was born and raised in Kiev, Ukraine. In this book, she shares many of the places she has come to love in New York City.

About the Author/Illustrator

Yevgenia Nayberg is a children's book author, illustrator, painter, and set and costume designer. She has written and/or illustrated many children’s picture books including “Anya’s Secret Society” and “Typewriter,” which she both wrote and illustrated; “Martin and Anne: The Kindred Spirits of Martin Luther King and Anne Frank,” written by Nancy Churnin; and “Drop by Drop: A Story of Rabbi Akiva” by Jaqueline Jules, for which she won a Sydney Taylor Silver Medal. Her illustrations have also appeared in magazines and on theatre posters, music albums, and book covers; her paintings, drawings, and illustrations are held in private collections worldwide. Nayberg was born and raised in Kiev, Ukraine, but now makes her home in New York City.

Little girl conquers night-time fears in sweet story

Mindi and the Goose No One Could See

Written by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Linda Olafsdottir

Candlewick Press, 2021

Mindi is afraid of a big goose in her bedroom that no one else can see. Illustrations show shadows of a curtain rod and a lamp frightening Mindi at night.

Her parents try to convince her that the goose isn’t real, but she doesn’t believe them. They talk about what they can do after she runs into their bedroom and falls asleep between them.

Her dad comes up with the idea of asking for help from Austin, a wise old man in their village. He walks halfway up Shelling Hill to visit Austin, where he lives with many farm animals.

He tells Austin his story and watches the old man give a young goat a cuddle and feed him an apricot. Then Austin tells him to bring Mindi to him.

“Make sure she knows I live a long way away,” he says. “Make sure she knows that she is going on a journey.”

Her dad and Mindi set out on their trip. When they arrive, the old man introduces them to his animals, including two noisy geese. They go inside for juice, and the young goat pokes open the door and walks in.

Austin hands an apricot to Mindi to give the goat. Then he lets her name the goat. She names her Black-and-Whitey.

A week later, Austin brings Mindi the goat as a gift, but he tells her she needs to give him an animal in return. He asks for her goose that no one else can see.

Mindi sits on the floor next to her pet goat feeding her plums and whispers, “I love my Black-and-Whitey.”

Two months later, Mindi’s dad goes to visit Austin and thanks him. He says Mindi hasn’t spoken of the big goose that no one else can see since she got her new pet goat.

Mindi’s dad wants to pay him something, but Austin says, “Oh, I’ve been paid well enough. Come and see.”

He guides him through the farmyard until they come upon three thriving geese. The joke is that Mindi’s imaginary goose has become real.  

This book is being published posthumously by Sam McBratney, who passed away on September 18^th, 2020 at the age of 77.

The mixed media illustrations complement the warm tone of the story. The characters’ faces are expressive, helping to tell the story.   

 About the Author

Sam McBratney wrote more than fifty books, including several best-selling and award-winning ones for children. His best-known book is “Guess How Much I Love You,” which is illustrated by Anita Jeram. Now considered a classic, “Guess How Much I Love You” has sold over fifty million copies worldwide and has been translated into fifty-seven languages.   

About the Illustrator

Linda Olafsdottir is the illustrator of several books for children, including “Play?” which she also wrote and “In Grandma’s Garden” by Brenda West Cockerell. This is her first book with Candlewick Press. Her artwork has also appeared on stamps, cereal boxes and children’s clothing. Linda Olafsdottir lives in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Counting book proves learning to count can be fun

One-osaurus, Two-osaurus

Written by Kim Norman and illustrated by Pierre Collet-Derby

Candlewick Press, 2021

“One-osaurus, Two-osaurus” is a counting book that proves learning to count can be fun.

Told in rhyme, the story almost sings a story about dinosaurs playing.

“One-osaurus, two-osaurus, three-osaurus, four…

“Five-osaurus, six-osaurus, seven-osaurus …

“Roar!”

The dinosaurs are counted as they gather, stampede and hide.

“Everybody quiet now. Tuck your tails and necks.

Closer, closer …”

The surprise comes after all the dinosaurs hide behind their numbers. The biggest dinosaur appears.

“It’s ten-osaurus rex!”

He chomps, stomps, sniffles and snuffles.  The reader Is nervous now, but it turns out that ten-osaurus is the “king of hide-and-seek.” He finds all the dinosaurs.

Then it’s time to play another game – Simon Says-osaur.

Pierre Collet-Derby’s colorful digital illustrations help tell the story. He shows the smiling dinosaurs become fearful as they run and hide.

When he first appears, ten-osaurus rex looks scary and foreboding in shadow with sharp teeth.

But the dinosaurs are smiling again after they’re found and think about the next game they’ll play.

About the Author

Kim Norman is an artist, actress, and singer as well as the author of many children’s books, including “Give Me Back my Bones!,” “Puddle Pug” and “The Bot that Scott Built.” She visits schools around the country sharing her love of books. She lives in Virginia, but you can visit her at kimnormanbooks.com.

About the Illustrator

Pierre Collet-Derby is an author and illustrator of many children’s books. He worked for many years in the animation and video game industries before devoting his days to drawing, writing and strumming his ukulele. Born and raised in France, where he studied animation, Pierre Collet-Derby now lives in Canada. You can visit him at pierrecolletderby.com.

Beautiful book teaches kids about Haitian custom

My Day with the Panye

Written by Tami Charles and illustrated by Sara Palacios

Candlewick Press, 2021

Fallon lives in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, a beautiful, colorful island. She is excited when her mom, Manman, invites her to go to the market with her.

Manman balances a panye, a basket, on her head. She will carry their purchases home in the panye. This is a tradition dating back to ancient times and practiced in many parts of the world, the author Tami Charles explains in an author’s note at the back of the book.

More than anything, Fallon wants to carry the basket on her head like her mother does. She asks if she can try. Her mother lets her try, but the basket falls onto the floor.

Manman tells her to be patient. “Pitit, pitit, zwazo fen ich li. Little by little the bird builds its nest.”

As they continue on their trip, they notice the tap-tap bus carrying laughing people and the colorful walls of shops that survived an earthquake. But all Fallon can think about is carrying the panye. She keeps begging her mother to let her try again.

Manman tell her again and again to be patient: “Pitit, pitit. Almost there.”

When they get to the market, people are selling all kinds of vegetables and fruits on tables and stands. Manman pulls out gourdes she exchanges for food she piles into the panye.

Fallon notices many mothers and daughters carrying panyes full of food. They walk gracefully keeping their panyes still in spite of a light wind.

Charles’ language is lyrical, “The sun dances across the sky. The tap-tap chug-a-lugs by. Women pack their goods, close their shops, and we begin our walk home.”

Again, Fallon begs to try to carry the panye. Finally, her mother helps her balance it on her head. It’s heavy and it wobbles, bobbles, and crashes to the ground. Fallon is upset and is ready to give up.

Manman encourages her to try again. This time Fallon stands very straight and carefully walks. She feels like a queen as she walks all the way home.

Her mother asks her what the panye means to her. She says, “The panye means we are graceful when the load is heavy. We are strong, even when the earth is not. We are family, fed from love.”

The story ends as Fallon’s little sister Naima begs for a turn. This time Fallon tells her sister to be patient. She’ll show her. Soon Naima will have her chance.

Illustrator Sara Palacios brings the book to life with her beautiful, vibrant images that were created with guache and a digital program.

About the Author

Tami Charles loves the beautiful island nation of Haiti, her husband’s homeland. She is the author of “Freedom Soup,” illustrated by Jacqueline Alcantara, and “All Because You Matter,” illustrated by Bryan Collier, and many other picture books and novels for children and young adults. She lives in New Jersey with her husband and son.  

About the Illustrator

Sara Palacios has illustrated many picture books, including “Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border” by Mitali Perkins. “My Day with the Panye” is her first book with Candlewick Press. She lives in San Francisco with her husband.