Picture This: Little Roja Riding Hood

Little Roja Riding Hood by Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Susan Guevara

I think you all know the story of Little Red Riding Hood, Susan Middleton Elya has written a modernized one with fun rhyming and rhythm, the incorporation of Spanish words, Hispanic cultural references, and a gutsy Red Riding Hood that doesn't need anyone else to save her. Susan Guevara, who just won a well-deserved Pura Belpre illustrator honor, has created fun, lively illustrations to match. Red Riding wears a patterned cape and cowboy boots, while her mother watches telenovelas in the background. That house has a satellite dish on top and a Jesus figure inside.Three blind mice follow Red Riding through the story, as do trouble-making duendas, or trickster elves. Lots of fun.

Best Picture Books of 2014

(There could be edits or additions once I'm finally able to read some of the late orders.)

1. The Adventures of Beekle by Dan Santat

2. Three Bears in a Boat by Dave Soman

3. Extraordinary Jane by Hannah E. Harrison

4. Weasels by Elys Dolan

5. Neighborhood Sharks by Katherine Roy

6. The Farmer and the Clown by Marla Frazee

7. The Right Word: Roget and his Thesaurus by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

8. Tiny Creatures by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Emily Sutton

9. Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

10. Blue on Blue by Dianne White, illustrated by Beth Krommes

Honorable Mention

Remy and Lulu by Kevin Hawkes, with miniatures by Hannah E. Harrison
Queen Victoria's Bathing Machine by Gloria Whelan, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Princess Sparkle Heart Gets a Makeover by Josh Schneider
Big Bug by Henry Cole
Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas by Lynne Cox, illustrated by Brian Floca

Picture This: The Adventures of Beekle

The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend by Dan Santat

On a far away island, imaginary friends are born and then wait to be imagined by a real child. One such imaginary friend waits and waits, but his time doesn't come. So he decides to go out into the world in search of his friend.

Beekle is a rather funny-looking imaginary friend--shapeless and colorless, but always expressive in his face. He goes to the playground and climbs trees, but still nothing. One day a girl named Alice calls to him, and they realize they’re perfect together.

Dan Santat’s illustrations are bursting with color, life and imagination. The endpages alone reveal the amount of thought that went into the creation of the various imaginary friends (a cloud for the kite-flyer, an octopus for the beach-goer, a rabbit for the would-be magician, etc). I'm guessing Beekle is a sort of blank canvas friend, because he and Alice bond through art and drawings. Santat portrays the real, drab world in grays, while the world of play and imagination is depicted in vibrant colors. The poignant story may refer to the imaginary, but that lengthy journey into the unknown is not unlike the real one that many children and adults must take in order to find the people they most cherish.

Picture This: Shh! We Have a Plan

Shh! We Have a Plan by Chris Haughton

Nets in hand, four friends spot a lovely bird in the forest. When the littlest of them waves, saying "Hello, birdie," the others quickly shush him, explaining, as the title suggests, "We have a plan." They tip toe, count and on "GO" they pounce, but the bird easily slips away, leaving them in a heap. Time and time again this pattern repeats itself, each time leaving the group a mess. Let's just say that one of them has a better plan...

I loved Chris Haughton's No George, in which a well-intentioned dog doesn't quite succeed at obeying the rules. Shh! We Have a Plan displays Haughton's storytelling talent once again. The circular narrative is funny and well-paced. Haughton illustrates the story almost entirely in blues, except for the animals in brilliant reds and purples, with the occasional yellow/green. Entertaining through and through, this is one kids will love.

Picture This: Remy and Lulu

Remy and Lulu by Kevin Hawkes, with miniatures by Hannah E. Harrison


Lulu the dog and Remy the painter travel the French countryside painting portraits. His eyesight isn't so great, but, as he says, his “vision is clear” and he paints from the heart. His large, abstract paintings are appreciated little at first, but soon customers are paying lots of money to have their portraits painted. What Remy doesn’t realize is that Lulu is painting a perfectly realistic miniature portrait of his customer’s pet on each canvas, and it is those that are drawing attention and acclaim. When an optometrist (appropriately named Doctor Lunette) gifts him a pair of new glasses, Remy sees the tiny portrait for the first time. Hurt and discouraged, will Remy ever paint again?

Spoiler alert—yes, he does. The ending is as charming and funny as the rest of the book.

Remy, now with 20/20 vision, goes into a funk. He refuses to paint, he doesn’t speak to Lulu. But when he receives a letter from gallery owner Madame Renard, inviting him to paint for her, he gets out his materials and, in a good will gesture, gives Lulu her own set of materials. Once at Madame Renard's, he finds he has trouble painting with his new glasses. It is only when he puts on his old, unfocused glasses that he is once again able to focus on the heart instead of the visual details. Madame Renard loves both of their paintings individually, exclaiming as Remy always has, “My eyesight is poor, you know, but my vision has always been clear!”

Remy and Lulu is written and illustrated by Kevin Hawkes, but the beautiful little miniatures are painted by Hannah E. Harrison (Extraordinary Jane), who paints such miniatures herself. The two artists (and I mean Remy and Lulu) offset each other nicely with their contrasting styles. Remy paints large, bold, abstracted images, while Lulu’s are meticulous and dainty, interpreting pets as gentlemen and ladies of another era. Of course there are themes of art and what it is and how it is made, but even if children don't pick up on that, there is a great deal to enjoy in this unique picture book.

Independent Reading: The Princess in Black

The Princess in Black by Shannon & Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Princess Magnolia is having tea with Duchess Wigtower when her monster alarm sounds! After convincing the duchess it was only a bird she heard, Princess Magnolia trades in her frills for black and heads off to save innocent goats from a giant blue monster. Can she save the goats and keep her identity secret from the prying eyes of a nosy duchess?

In the author bio, Shannon and Dean Hale say, “Sometimes our daughters wear princess dresses and play tea party, and sometimes they don capes and fight monsters. We wanted to write a character who does both, too!” And what a fun way to do that. I loved it. It’s funny and charming and tongue-in-cheek. Her trusty steed is a black pony disguised as Frimplepants, the sparkly unicorn. When Princess Magnolia fights the monster, her acrobatics are accompanied by “princess pounce!” and “twinkle twinkle little smash!” LeUyen Pham’s illustrations are half the fun, with priceless facial expressions and funny details.  The monsters eat bath tubs and pick their noses. The action sequences pack a punch. Very fun, very funny, and pitch perfect.

Books of 2014

Books read: 56

The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher* ✦ Eat Brains Love by Jeff Hart* ✦ Boxers by Gene Luen Yang ✦ Saints by Gene Luen Yang ✦ Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl ✦ Tin Star by Cecil Castelucci* ✦ The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler ✦ The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier ✦ Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff ✦ Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion ✦ Don’t Even Think About It by Sarah Mlynowski* ✦ I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore ✦ The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner ✦ The Isobel Journal by Isobel Harrop* ✦ Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick ✦ The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen ✦ Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard ✦ The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski* ✦ Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier ✦ To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han* ✦ Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen ✦ The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan ✦ The Truth About Alice by Jennifer Mathieu* ✦ Salt and Storm by Kendall Kulper* ✦ The Emperor’s Soul by Brandon Sanderson ✦ In Real Life by Cory Doctorow* ✦ The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm* ✦ Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman ✦ Sisters by Raina Telgemeier* ✦ This One Summer by Mariko and Jillian Tamaki* ✦ Matched by Ally Condie ✦ The Tyrant’s Daughter by J. C. Carleson* ✦ The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han ✦ The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo ✦ Seconds by Bryan Lee O’Malley* ✦ Remaking the John by Francesca DiPiazza* ✦ Chernobyl’s Wild Kingdom by Rebecca L. Johnson* ✦ Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn ✦ The Crossover by Kwame Alexander* ✦ Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle ✦ Zac & Mia by A. J. Betts* ✦ Port Chicago 50 by Steve Sheinkin* ✦ Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern* ✦ The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming* ✦ The List by Siobhan Vivian ✦ Witches by Rosalyn Schanzer ✦ Wave by Sonia Deraniyagala ✦ The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier* ✦ Through the Woods by Emily Carroll* ✦ El Deafo by Cece Bell* ✦ The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde ✦ Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo ✦ The Thickety by J. A. White* ✦ Belzhar by Meg Wolitzer* ✦ Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews ✦ The Princess in Black by Shannon and Dean Hale*


Favorite Books Read in 2014

1. Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lived in North Korea by Barbara Demick
Jaw-dropping, fascinating, eye-opening.

1. El Deafo by Cece Bell*
A wonderful balance of funny, sad, heartwarming, and honest. Plus, her deaf experience is so well communicated.

3 & 4. Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang
So thought-provoking I was thinking about these two long after I finished reading. The stories are honest. The artistry is remarkable.

5. The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming*
A fascinating story, excellently told. It's so interesting to see all these separate people, events, and facets of Russia come together to create one massive explosion.

6. The Thickety by J. A. White*
Inventive, complex, and such a page-turner.

7. Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier
Solid fantasy--excellent world building, writing, and a story and characters I loved. Free of most of the irritating tropes of YA fantasy/romance.

8. The Princess in Black by Shannon and Deal Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham*
Pitch perfect and so much fun.

9. Paper Valentine by Brenna Yovanoff
Both a suspenseful murder mystery and an intriguing examination of two best  friends' relationship.

10. The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher*
This gets on the list simply for its power to completely engross me.










Honorable mention
The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm*
Port Chicago 50 by Steve Sheinkin*
The Tyrant's Daughter by J. C. Carleson*
Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander*

* indicates published in 2014

Picture This: Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes

Tiny Creatures: The World of Microbes by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Emily Sutton

Microbes may not sound like an appealing topic to read about in a picture book, but Nicola Davies and Emily Sutton reveal the curious world of microbes as a fascinating place.

"You know about big animals, and you know about small animals...but did you know that there are creatures so tiny that millions could fit on this ant's antenna? So tiny that we'd have to make the ant's antenna as big as a whale to show them to you?"

The author and illustrator explain concepts simply and clearly through both the text and the accompanying illustrations. They illuminate the wide variety of microbes and their various functions--from making us sick to turning rocks into soil. Who knew how interesting, relevant, and even beautiful microbes could be?

"They are the invisible transformers of our world--the tiniest lives doing some of the biggest jobs."

Recent Read: The Thickety: A Path Begins

The Thickety: A Path Begins by J. A. White

As the children of an executed witch, Kara and her little brother Taff are shunned by their small, secluded island community, for there is nothing more evil than witchcraft. Kara knows and believes this too, until a mysterious bird guides (or lures?) her to a grimoire, full of magic, power and, perhaps, ties to her mother.

The title refers to the black forest that rules a significant portion of their little island. The Thickety is home to nightmarish creatures, black trees, dark magic, and the evil Sordyr. The Children of the Fold, as the island people call themselves, follow the teachings of Timoth Clen, a man who eradicated magic from their world many years before. By strictly adhering to the cardinal rules of his cult-like religion, the villagers can protect themselves from evil (and each other). The rules are: 1. Never use magic. 2. Never enter the Thickety.

In one fell swoop, Kara violates both of these rules and opens a sort of Pandora’s box in the form of an insidious and magical grimoire.

Sinister. That’s the word to describe this gripping children’s novel. Despite the size, format and illustrations, this is a dark story, not for the feint of heart. White does not shy away from pure, unadulterated evil in this tale of power, addiction, and truth. But this is one of the reasons it’s so good. It’s a unique and complex story, full of excitement. The language is both evocative and concise. As the title suggests, the path begins here, and I was left both shocked and eager to see what happens next. One of my favorites of 2014.


Book 2, The Thickety: The Whispering Trees, comes out March 10, 2015.

Picture This: Sam and Dave Dig a Hole

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

As the title suggests, Sam and Dave decide to dig a hole in the yard in the hopes of finding something spectacular. What they cannot see (though the dog seems to know) is how close they are to finding gigantic diamonds. They continue to dig, but will they ever find anything spectacular?

I would love to see an audience of children react to this one. I can imagine the shouts and cries as Sam and Dave miss yet another giant diamond.  The only problem I see is that the ending doesn't quite makes sense (they dig themselves through the bottom of the earth?), but I don't know that kids will really care.

Picture This: Viva Frida

Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales

Viva Frida is a lovely tribute to Frida Kahlo. Morales has made beautiful handmade dolls, setting them in brightly colored scenes, which were then expertly photographed by Tim O'Meara. I can't think of another book quite like this. Each page contains no more than 3 words (usually 2): simple phrases like "I see," "I search," "I dream," with Spanish translation in lighter, italic type in the background. Motifs and symbolism from Frida Kahlo's paintings (and life) are featured throughout (her monkey, parrots and dog, a wounded deer, the earrings she wears are in one of her self portraits). Her husband, Diego Rivera is present, as is her famous blue house.

But I'm not sure how well it succeeds as a book for children. It's hard to follow. There's no story at all. At one point the ideas are dragged over so many spreads that I forgot what it was saying (and I'm not sure how much literal/logical sense it made anyway). The whole thing could be summarized with one trite phrase like "live, laugh, love" (I create therefore I live

The dream sequence, the abstract concepts, the surreal art--is it all lost on the audience? Can it mean much to someone totally unfamiliar with Frida's work--child or adult? But it is beautiful to look at, and children, I'm sure, will appreciate the art. As I saw someone say, it seems a bit more like an art installation in tribute to Frida than a book for children.

Picture This: Pom and Pim

Pom and Pim by Lena Landstrom, illustrated by Olof Landstrom

Pom and her stuffed...creature have a lot of ups and downs, but what seems like bad luck often turns to good.

Personally, I love Pom and Pim for the face plant alone.

Much like Jeff Mack's Good News Bad News except this time, it's good luck and back luck.

Picture This: Neighborhood Sharks

Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California's Farallon Islands by Katherine Roy

The cover alone should give you a clue to how awesome this nonfiction picture book is. First time writer (she's previously illustrated three other books) Katherine Roy starts off in the water with an unsuspecting sea lion:

"While their 800,000 human neighbors dine on steak, salad, and sandwiches, the white sharks hunt for their favorite meal." 

Building suspense through a number of perfectly framed spreads, Katherine Roy introduces us to the infamous predators with a dramatic punch as the great white finally catches his dinner, leaving a cloud of red in his wake.

"But how do they do it?"

"But how do they do it?" she asks. What follows is series of spreads focusing on specific traits of great whites (and their prey) that make them the formidable predators they are. She shows the reader how things like a warmer body temperature and a streamlined body work, with diagrams depicting blood vessels as pipes or comparing sharks to airplanes. The illustrations that accompany the clearly explained facts are consistently fantastic (and often contain a bloodied meal somewhere).

About halfway through Roy shifts gears (and what a well done transition it is) to describe the research performed in the Farallon Islands. Every September, great whites converge on these small islands, located just 30 miles from San Francisco. She describes how the scientists study the sharks (identifying them by their unique, dorsal fins, attaching tags to collect more information, etc) and what we have learned as a result of this research.

In the author's note, Roy describes being able to spent time with the Farallon scientists, learning from them, and even venturing out into the bay with them. Her interest in the subject is apparent not just from the note, but in the excellence of her work. She seamlessly combines exciting narrative with interesting information. The prose is interesting and clear. The illustrations dynamic and beautiful. Superb. I hope to see her win an award come the ALA Youth Media Awards.