tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23769951943399750102024-03-15T04:41:56.349-04:00Bookie Woogiesome creative kids & their illustrator dad just talkin' about booksZ-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.comBlogger187125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-17549702878429217852015-10-01T08:00:00.001-04:002024-02-08T23:19:54.818-05:00Welcome!<i>What is Bookie Woogie? Over the course of seven years, the Z-Kids embarked on a variety of family reading adventures. I posted their responses to both newly released books and old favorites -- picture books, chapter books, board books, and graphic novels. Together we talked about the craft of writing and the techniques of illustration. They created hundreds of pieces of fan art with crayon, pencil, pastel, clay, cut paper, scratch board, sewing, and video. They interviewed great authors and illustrators, including Newbery and Caldecott winners. And we recorded it all for you! I hope this site serves as a timeless, valuable resource. As you dig into the vast Archive, I hope you'll sense a love for books, a love for art, and a family's love for each other. So what is Bookie Woogie? Bookie Woogie is made up of:</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ms1YokPZdfg/VfiJQ6f4jFI/AAAAAAAAKkg/yPb_73Mrgqo/s1600/BookieWoogieHeader.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-top: 0.3em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ms1YokPZdfg/VfiJQ6f4jFI/AAAAAAAAKkg/yPb_73Mrgqo/s600/BookieWoogieHeader.jpg" width="245" /></a>7</span> years<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;">6</span> kids <br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;">195</span> posts<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;">140</span> book reviews<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;">20</span> author interviews<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;">178</span> books highlighted<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;">177</span> authors & illustrators highlighted<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 180%;">520</span> pieces of fan art created (wow!)<br />
<br />
<i>Check it all out! Here are links to every Bookie Woogie review:</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/11/review-1-dog-who-belonged-to-no-one.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPA6nLW5zaI/AAAAAAAAAp0/kMNiHNasEd4/s1600/DogNoOne.jpg" class="decoded" height="114" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPA6nLW5zaI/AAAAAAAAAp0/kMNiHNasEd4/s200/DogNoOne.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: The Dog Who Belonged To No One" width="114" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2007/12/review-6-arnie-doughnut.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SQVNvsD6swI/AAAAAAAAA5w/VhICKe3ASTs/s1600/arnie.jpg" class="decoded" height="114" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SQVNvsD6swI/AAAAAAAAA5w/VhICKe3ASTs/s200/arnie.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Arnie the Doughnut" width="136" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2007/12/review-7-little-pea-and-little-hoot.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SQYqnqZGQpI/AAAAAAAAA6A/PqSuzh2HXY0/s1600/pea.jpg" class="decoded" height="114" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SQYqnqZGQpI/AAAAAAAAA6A/PqSuzh2HXY0/s200/pea.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Little Pea" width="114" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2007/12/review-7-little-pea-and-little-hoot.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SQYqoKSvEzI/AAAAAAAAA6I/gb9aY1ruhV4/s1600/hoot.jpg" class="decoded" height="110" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SQYqoKSvEzI/AAAAAAAAA6I/gb9aY1ruhV4/s200/hoot.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Little Hoot" width="110" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/10/review-3-holes.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPuxLnAEO1I/AAAAAAAAAsM/jlcCOLmOk64/s1600/holes.jpg" class="decoded" height="110" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPuxLnAEO1I/AAAAAAAAAsM/jlcCOLmOk64/s200/holes.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Holes" width="73" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/10/review-3-wave.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SP34jzqKZBI/AAAAAAAAAtk/Tnl_ELAHq08/s1600/wave.jpg" class="decoded" height="110" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SP34jzqKZBI/AAAAAAAAAtk/Tnl_ELAHq08/s200/wave.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Wave" width="181" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/12/review-6-shark-and-lobsters-amazing.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPQWylrDnjI/AAAAAAAAAp8/j1_9FFgg1eU/s1600/SharkLob.jpg" class="decoded" height="131" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPQWylrDnjI/AAAAAAAAAp8/j1_9FFgg1eU/s200/SharkLob.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Shark and Lobsters Amazing Undersea Adventure" width="142" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/12/review-7-rapunzels-revenge.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SSfOkwfwlQI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/TPCuc1mA4v4/s1600/Rapunzel.jpg" class="decoded" height="131" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SSfOkwfwlQI/AAAAAAAAA8Q/TPCuc1mA4v4/s200/Rapunzel.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Rapunzel's Revenge" width="91" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/12/review-8-through-animals-eyes.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SUOeftIpllI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/-qMxVEX2bRs/s1600/animals.gif" class="decoded" height="131" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SUOeftIpllI/AAAAAAAAA9Q/-qMxVEX2bRs/s200/animals.gif" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Through the Animals' Eyes" width="131" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/10/review-5-i-love-my-new-toy-and-i-will.html"><img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPu7unUXwQI/AAAAAAAAAs8/BJaT7YHUbxE/s1600/newtoy.jpg" class="decoded" height="113" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPu7unUXwQI/AAAAAAAAAs8/BJaT7YHUbxE/s200/newtoy.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Elephant and Piggie" width="80" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/10/review-5-i-love-my-new-toy-and-i-will.html"><img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPu7u4TaGwI/AAAAAAAAAtE/1_VF8RsiF3s/s1600/surprise.jpg" class="decoded" height="113" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPu7u4TaGwI/AAAAAAAAAtE/1_VF8RsiF3s/s200/surprise.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Elephant and Piggie" width="79" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/01/review-10-jimmy-zangwows-out-of-this.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWH7g7cVnoI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/uROIS7_L2Mk/s1600/zang.jpg" class="decoded" height="113" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWH7g7cVnoI/AAAAAAAAA-Y/uROIS7_L2Mk/s200/zang.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Jimmy Zangwow's Out of this World Moon Pie Adventure" width="82" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/01/review-11-hush-little-dragon.html"><img alt="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWnE6ytr5zI/AAAAAAAAA-g/4KYNmETBlhA/s1600/dragon.jpg" class="decoded" height="113" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWnE6ytr5zI/AAAAAAAAA-g/4KYNmETBlhA/s200/dragon.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Hush Little Dragon" width="110" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/01/review-12-inkheart.html"><img alt="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SXRTGte9ajI/AAAAAAAABB4/wnDqqy6c2Z8/s1600/inkheart.jpg" class="decoded" height="147" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SXRTGte9ajI/AAAAAAAABB4/wnDqqy6c2Z8/s200/inkheart.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Inkheart" width="116" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/01/review-13-knuckleheads.html"><img alt="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWnPlB2yH2I/AAAAAAAAA_A/wZJkWX_Dt7o/s1600/hands.jpg" class="decoded" height="147" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWnPlB2yH2I/AAAAAAAAA_A/wZJkWX_Dt7o/s200/hands.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Knuckleheads" width="123" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/02/review-14-monsterlicious.html"><img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SYF-kwUoGDI/AAAAAAAABCY/jrf2scjhqUE/s1600/monsterlicious.jpg" class="decoded" height="147" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SYF-kwUoGDI/AAAAAAAABCY/jrf2scjhqUE/s200/monsterlicious.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Monsterlicious" width="125" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/02/review-15-little-panda.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWnIDs3TIBI/AAAAAAAAA-w/PlF4DMTZ9iM/s1600/panda.jpg" class="decoded" height="128" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWnIDs3TIBI/AAAAAAAAA-w/PlF4DMTZ9iM/s200/panda.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Little Panda" width="110" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/02/review-16-how-to-paint-portrait-of-bird.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWnIW5rNx3I/AAAAAAAAA-4/coO14K4qY0g/s1600/bird.jpg" class="decoded" height="128" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWnIW5rNx3I/AAAAAAAAA-4/coO14K4qY0g/s200/bird.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird" width="124" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/02/review-17-old-bear.html"><img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWnH2Y62HTI/AAAAAAAAA-o/t72wsqgbJnQ/s1600/bear.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="128" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SWnH2Y62HTI/AAAAAAAAA-o/t72wsqgbJnQ/s200/bear.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Old Bear" width="130" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/10/review-4-museum-trip.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPu0TqUgjmI/AAAAAAAAAsc/QjcWA-5cMaA/s1600/museumtrip.jpg" class="decoded" height="121" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SPu0TqUgjmI/AAAAAAAAAsc/QjcWA-5cMaA/s200/museumtrip.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Museum Trip" width="125" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/03/review-19-book.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SbDKpZEQ5_I/AAAAAAAABXc/yvUiotJN8x8/s1600/abook.jpg" class="decoded" height="121" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SbDKpZEQ5_I/AAAAAAAABXc/yvUiotJN8x8/s200/abook.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: A Book" width="117" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/03/review-20-tale-of-tail.html"><img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/ScQ5IfmLbcI/AAAAAAAABY8/rQfFkNMNJEI/s1600/tail.jpg" class="decoded" height="121" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/ScQ5IfmLbcI/AAAAAAAABY8/rQfFkNMNJEI/s200/tail.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Tale of a Tail" width="122" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/03/review-21-jazzmatazz.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sc_eq-EUIGI/AAAAAAAABcc/nimklLXaI7Q/s1600/jazz.jpg" class="decoded" height="107" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sc_eq-EUIGI/AAAAAAAABcc/nimklLXaI7Q/s200/jazz.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Jazzmatazz" width="85" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/04/review-22-adam-raccoon-at-forever-falls.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SdeeUr8Qt8I/AAAAAAAABh8/vptrqilnjGI/s1600/adamraccoon.jpg" class="decoded" height="107" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SdeeUr8Qt8I/AAAAAAAABh8/vptrqilnjGI/s200/adamraccoon.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Adam Raccoon by Glen Keane" width="77" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/04/review-23-and-giveaway-beware-tickle.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sd7W17PYL4I/AAAAAAAABos/Woq6eFNNf2I/s1600/Tickle.jpg" class="decoded" height="107" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sd7W17PYL4I/AAAAAAAABos/Woq6eFNNf2I/s200/Tickle.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Beware the Tickle Monster" width="92" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/04/review-24-pssst.html"><img alt="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sd6hs4nSmyI/AAAAAAAABnk/c9GtLbs_o6Y/s1600/pssst.jpg" class="decoded" height="107" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sd6hs4nSmyI/AAAAAAAABnk/c9GtLbs_o6Y/s200/pssst.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Pssst!" width="97" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/04/review-25-babymouse-musical.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sd7s3Hbf7PI/AAAAAAAABo0/_R6qcoFChog/s1600/babymouse.jpg" class="decoded" height="113" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sd7s3Hbf7PI/AAAAAAAABo0/_R6qcoFChog/s200/babymouse.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Babymouse" width="87" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/05/review-26-wrinkle-in-time.html"><img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sf7uAwtT-xI/AAAAAAAABxQ/lyxG7RNjhS8/s1600/wrinkle.jpg" class="decoded" height="113" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sf7uAwtT-xI/AAAAAAAABxQ/lyxG7RNjhS8/s200/wrinkle.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: A Wrinkle in Time" width="78" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/05/review-27-mommy-poems.html"><img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SgU5mUK6ArI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/75lAUi1njLc/s1600/Mommy.jpg" class="decoded" height="113" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SgU5mUK6ArI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/75lAUi1njLc/s200/Mommy.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Mommy Poems" width="101" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/05/review-28-belinda-begins-ballet.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/ShBz5MESdSI/AAAAAAAAB3I/gGPcD59AF_w/s1600/belinda.jpg" class="decoded" height="113" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/ShBz5MESdSI/AAAAAAAAB3I/gGPcD59AF_w/s200/belinda.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Belinda Begins Ballet" width="85" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/05/review-29-kidogo.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/ShpMH6Ld6II/AAAAAAAAB4Q/7vXXaERLSQE/s1600/Kidogo.jpg" class="decoded" height="128" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/ShpMH6Ld6II/AAAAAAAAB4Q/7vXXaERLSQE/s200/Kidogo.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Kidogo" width="104" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-30-curious-collection-of-cats.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SiNCbENuYWI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/0-P0UiH_npk/s1600/Cats.gif" class="decoded overflowing" height="128" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SiNCbENuYWI/AAAAAAAAB8Y/0-P0UiH_npk/s200/Cats.gif" title="Bookie Woogie Review: A Curious Collection of Cats" width="100" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-31-scribble.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SirV_1YEhOI/AAAAAAAAB8w/cI-HXH9CA-c/s1600/scribb.jpg" class="decoded" height="128" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SirV_1YEhOI/AAAAAAAAB8w/cI-HXH9CA-c/s200/scribb.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Scribble" width="160" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-32-and-giveaway-i-spy-to-z.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SjXuPd2X6VI/AAAAAAAACBo/UFbzON73uwI/s1600/ISpyA2Z_COV.JPG" class="decoded overflowing" height="116" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SjXuPd2X6VI/AAAAAAAACBo/UFbzON73uwI/s200/ISpyA2Z_COV.JPG" title="Bookie Woogie Review: I Spy" width="87" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-33-how-are-you-peeling.html"><img alt="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sj8rhS07PdI/AAAAAAAACHg/ZCeKtMHnWoc/s1600/Peeling.jpg" class="decoded" height="116" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sj8rhS07PdI/AAAAAAAACHg/ZCeKtMHnWoc/s200/Peeling.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: How Are You Peeling?" width="102" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-34-amazing-trail-of-seymour.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SkaN0HPwnaI/AAAAAAAACJI/54tcgz5a2l8/s1600/snail.jpg" class="decoded" height="116" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SkaN0HPwnaI/AAAAAAAACJI/54tcgz5a2l8/s200/snail.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: The Amazing Trail of Seymour Snail" width="82" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-35-black-and-white.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SlGmS1iJykI/AAAAAAAACLw/27CLhiB-Bxo/s1600/BlackWhite.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="116" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SlGmS1iJykI/AAAAAAAACLw/27CLhiB-Bxo/s200/BlackWhite.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Black and White" width="80" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-36-flip-flap-fly.html"><img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SlrvJE6ipqI/AAAAAAAACSQ/b_J8j2broFw/s1600/FlipFlapFly.jpg" class="decoded" height="109" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SlrvJE6ipqI/AAAAAAAACSQ/b_J8j2broFw/s200/FlipFlapFly.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Flip Flap Fly" width="115" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-37-arrival.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sm0H2Ie824I/AAAAAAAACZk/GeK6pzrHjXw/s1600/Arrival.jpg" class="decoded" height="109" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sm0H2Ie824I/AAAAAAAACZk/GeK6pzrHjXw/s200/Arrival.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: The Arrival" width="81" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/08/review-38-abigail-spells.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SnaCVECPvdI/AAAAAAAACb8/GoJ0oTyAucY/s1600/Abigail.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="109" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SnaCVECPvdI/AAAAAAAACb8/GoJ0oTyAucY/s200/Abigail.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Abigail Spells" width="82" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/08/review-39-and-giveaway-max-spaniel.html"><img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sn-xejGv26I/AAAAAAAACjU/9Yal0FHXbjk/s1600/MaxSpanielFINALCVR.jpg" class="decoded" height="109" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Sn-xejGv26I/AAAAAAAACjU/9Yal0FHXbjk/s200/MaxSpanielFINALCVR.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Max Spaniel" width="73" /></a> <a 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width="89" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-120-three-ninja-pigs.html"><img alt="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-O_gSLff8g/UPDw_A-6xQI/AAAAAAAAGs8/CL-2I8Xq-SU/s1600/NinjaPigs.jpg" class="decoded" height="125" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-O_gSLff8g/UPDw_A-6xQI/AAAAAAAAGs8/CL-2I8Xq-SU/s200/NinjaPigs.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: The Three Ninja Pigs" width="94" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-121-prairie-thief.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yw_S9qti_fY/UPzz4plYM_I/AAAAAAAAGvc/moFQSbUKH3o/s1600/prairie+thief.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="125" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yw_S9qti_fY/UPzz4plYM_I/AAAAAAAAGvc/moFQSbUKH3o/s200/prairie+thief.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: The Prairie Thief" width="82" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-122-giant-dance-party.html"><img alt="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EftCCC-4nsU/UWmjXfFw8gI/AAAAAAAAGv8/Oeh-txgJN9k/s1600/giant.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="140" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EftCCC-4nsU/UWmjXfFw8gI/AAAAAAAAGv8/Oeh-txgJN9k/s200/giant.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Giant Dance Party" width="116" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/05/giveaway-i-love-ewe-and-hug-bull.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTZn_p_yz1s/UYQZ9YNDnkI/AAAAAAAAGxI/AwWG7haeA6U/s1600/IloveeweCover.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="140" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTZn_p_yz1s/UYQZ9YNDnkI/AAAAAAAAGxI/AwWG7haeA6U/s200/IloveeweCover.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: I Love Ewe" width="124" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/05/giveaway-i-love-ewe-and-hug-bull.html"><img alt="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lPYtUIMA32Q/UYQZ9N6IrdI/AAAAAAAAGxA/dApCRGiJlNY/s1600/HugabullCover.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="140" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lPYtUIMA32Q/UYQZ9N6IrdI/AAAAAAAAGxA/dApCRGiJlNY/s200/HugabullCover.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Hug a Bull" width="124" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/07/review-124-monstore.html"><img alt="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zPSkDK2EaBQ/UdwUcGn9pcI/AAAAAAAAG3Q/7yi6CW58kgo/s1600/monstorefrontcover.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="135" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zPSkDK2EaBQ/UdwUcGn9pcI/AAAAAAAAG3Q/7yi6CW58kgo/s200/monstorefrontcover.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: The Monstore" width="109" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/01/review-125-charlottes-web.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OiIlbyvQVoA/Us7vAsm2Y3I/AAAAAAAAJgE/mMAVU9_63eY/s1600/Charlotte%27s.jpg" class="decoded overflowing" height="135" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OiIlbyvQVoA/Us7vAsm2Y3I/AAAAAAAAJgE/mMAVU9_63eY/s200/Charlotte's.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Charlotte's Web" width="93" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/05/interview-18-john-hendrix.html"><img alt="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uTYD7fZ9c-Y/U2lBBM42JPI/AAAAAAAAJm4/kdllxdfOht4/s1600/abelincoln2.jpg" class="decoded" height="135" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uTYD7fZ9c-Y/U2lBBM42JPI/AAAAAAAAJm4/kdllxdfOht4/s200/abelincoln2.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Interview: John Hendrix" width="162" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html"><img alt="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html" border="0" height="102" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FiAs1lCZEeo/U6HBcG9YM1I/AAAAAAAAJrM/YGEcFjcUWAw/s1600/14jimcurious.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Jim Curious" width="73" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html"><img alt="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html" border="0" height="102" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Tj_O0kyvKE/U6HBcCnFgjI/AAAAAAAAJrI/UqyDV8lLq-Y/s1600/14dinosaurspirin.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: The Greatest Dinosaur Ever" width="76" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html"><img alt="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html" border="0" height="102" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QyDG48EJBmM/U6HBayLAUjI/AAAAAAAAJq8/GXsBfk8sXWY/s1600/14OliversTree.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Oliver's Tree" width="88" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html"><img alt="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html" border="0" height="102" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3X-lRHUpgc/U6HBeWaOTvI/AAAAAAAAJrs/JeAx5tl6Il4/s200/14sparky.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Sparky" width="114" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html"><img alt="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html" border="0" height="116" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XqAfKPPB-QU/U6HBcnPPqFI/AAAAAAAAJrY/nZMpNWKx8dE/s200/14rules-of-summer.jpg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Rules of Summer" width="120" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/10/reviews-131-135-mid-year-favorites-of.html" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="116" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7gK6HovUS28/VE5aWvZLuVI/AAAAAAAAKIY/WKotceIEhjI/s1600/gigantos.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Gigantosaurus" width="136" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/10/reviews-131-135-mid-year-favorites-of.html" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="116" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yiGhkeYCS3E/VE5WqFFnojI/AAAAAAAAKHk/RArjWlYEwEU/s1600/Shhcover1.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Shh! We Have a Plan" width="108" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/10/reviews-131-135-mid-year-favorites-of.html" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="121" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FFQrTd64QPc/VE5Wr0nlh-I/AAAAAAAAKH4/0C1TEYiS0vA/s1600/ricotta.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot" width="85" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/10/reviews-131-135-mid-year-favorites-of.html" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="121" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cicOnkIOGz8/VE5Yi2aVbII/AAAAAAAAKIE/_cR9DqeABTw/s1600/Toucan-Can.gif" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Toucan Can" width="96" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/10/reviews-131-135-mid-year-favorites-of.html" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592701671/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592701671&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=SNKH3AFKKFRSLOGV" border="0" height="121" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6-29N_iCA3g/VE5WowIZceI/AAAAAAAAKHQ/R-4nHVPDCRc/s1600/FoxsG.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Fox's Garden" width="183" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/10/interview-19-sudipta-bardhan-quallen.html" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="135" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6GBeqblRPug/VCr8bsT9H7I/AAAAAAAAKEo/ZlSMK0jbfzc/s1600/OrangCover.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Orangutangled" width="138" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/12/reviews-136-140-end-of-year-favorites.html"><img alt="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/12/reviews-136-140-end-of-year-favorites.html" border="0" height="135" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Vahn3SNpKM/VJQEXtByuMI/AAAAAAAAKN4/bwqR2VgQy2I/s1600/14cbean-cover-web.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: A Bean, a Stalk, and a Boy Named Jack" width="128" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/12/reviews-136-140-end-of-year-favorites.html"><img alt="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/12/reviews-136-140-end-of-year-favorites.html" border="0" height="135" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y1txLAkG8Vg/VG9IyMPuFoI/AAAAAAAAKMg/Uqx-xnq4Ku0/s1600/14cLouiseLovesArt.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Louise Loves Art" width="98" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/12/reviews-136-140-end-of-year-favorites.html" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="110" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rcHseN_CaxA/VG9I06FDcFI/AAAAAAAAKM4/LFGWKH0FmKQ/s1600/14sam%2B%26%2Bdave%2Bdig%2Ba%2Bhole.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Sam and Dave Dig a Hole" width="80" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/12/reviews-136-140-end-of-year-favorites.html" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="110" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nYdTIr3tarM/VG9IySLFurI/AAAAAAAAKMo/rfeoEYtxrzk/s1600/14chug-machine.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Hug Machine" width="92" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/12/reviews-136-140-end-of-year-favorites.html" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="110" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8JvlSPFFowQ/VG9IxeoM3xI/AAAAAAAAKMY/S-WqDk54AJ0/s1600/14cClassic_Bedtime_Stories_large.png" title="Bookie Woogie Review: Classic Bedtime Stories by Scott Gustafson" width="94" /></a> <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2015/07/interview-20-dan-santat.html"><img alt="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2015/07/interview-20-dan-santat.html" border="0" height="110" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aaNT1FMZb-I/U6HBZBRMo5I/AAAAAAAAJqs/U5I8ebpe8Ug/s1600/14Beekle.jpg" title="Bookie Woogie Interview: Dan Santat" width="85" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Bookie Woogie's posts have prompted 120 unsolicited responses from
the authors and illustrators whose books the Z-Kids reviewed. Sometimes these creators sent an email, sometimes they left comments on a post, sometimes
they posted thoughts on their own blogs or social media. Here's a small, small sampling of what the creators of great children's books have said about
Bookie Woogie:
</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<b>"Check out my favorite review of
Rapuzel's Revenge on Bookie Woogie. An utter delight. The icing is
the kids do a piece of art, which you can see at the end. Isaac blows
me away, Gracie is hysterical, and Lily is so observant. I'd adopt them
all if they didn't obviously already have a great dad.</b><br />
<br />
<b>This is such a great way to combine reading, art, and action with kids in the home."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Newbery winning author <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/12/review-7-rapunzels-revenge.html">Shannon Hale</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2008/12/review-7-rapunzels-revenge.html">"Rapunzel's Revenge"</a> review</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"Please
drop everything that you are doing right now and go to Bookie Woogie
and read it. It might possibly put a smile on your face. But it won't
be as big as the smile on mine. Trust me.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>What I love about their review is that I FEEL like I was perched
there on the couch with them, this creative, funny family all cozied up
reading my book. It's what makes being an author so awesome -- the idea
that people, somewhere, are enjoying something I created.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>And not just reading it either. They discuss the book. They examine
the book. They talk about how it might have been created, how it
affects them, what the book is trying to say. Gracie, Lily, and Isaac
are going to grow up to be book-lovers. And one of them just might
become an author too. Or an artist!! They include ART in their
review! Fantastic."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Author <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/01/review-11-hush-little-dragon.html">Boni Ashburn</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/01/review-11-hush-little-dragon.html">"Hush Little Dragon"</a> review</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"Thank
you, thank you, for your brilliant, delightful and astute
discussion/review of my book. It's the best one I've ever gotten. Yay
for Bookie Woogie!"</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i> - Caldecott winning illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/02/review-16-how-to-paint-portrait-of-bird.html">Mordicai Gerstein</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/02/review-16-how-to-paint-portrait-of-bird.html">"How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird"</a> review</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>"I
have to tell you that your review of "Scribble" is my favorite, EVER. I
am a fan of your blog anyway, so it was such a fun surprise yesterday
to see my own book there!" </b></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>-Author/Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-31-scribble.html">Deborah Freedman</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/06/review-31-scribble.html">"Scribble"</a> review</i></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"Probably
one of the best book review sites I've seen! Great comments and
awesome drawings. You guys know how to read a book in the full sense of
the word." </b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Astrid Lindgren winning author/illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-37-arrival.html">Shaun Tan</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/07/review-37-arrival.html">"The Arrival"</a> review </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"My favourite review that I have ever received! It made me laugh all the way through, and the drawings are so much fun.</b><br />
<br />
<b>It's
such a brilliant way of getting the essence of a book across, really
brings it to life. Well done all of you - what a great team - what
fun!"</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/08/review-40-down-back-of-chair.html">Polly Dunbar</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/08/review-40-down-back-of-chair.html">"Down the Back of the Chair"</a> review </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"Several
different people have mentioned to me that they'd read your family blog
about my book and liked it.
So I just wanted to say again how much I appreciate how involved in my
donutbook you and your family became and how delightfully you expressed
it in your blog." </b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Author/Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/11/review-49-who-needs-donuts.html">Mark Alan Stamaty</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/11/review-49-who-needs-donuts.html">"Who Needs Donuts"</a> review </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"I
was honored and thrilled by your words. Wow... thank you. I see that
you all take this very seriously without losing any of the joy that
books bring. It's wonderful that you guys sit down and look really
closely. We authors and illustrators live for audiences like you.</b><br />
<br />
<b>One
spends all his time in a room trying to make a book that others will
want to see, but you never really know what will happen once it goes out
into the world. I'm moved and humbled that my book drew you in and
had a positive influence. Thank you. Stories like yours make what I
do even better than I could ever imagine.</b><br />
<br />
<b>I look
forward to reading all your discussions and know I will learn much
about books by my friends (authors and illustrators) and many other
books that I've loved for years. But I most look forward to being
delighted by your smart and thoughtful take on children's books you have
loved. I can't wait."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Caldecott winning author/illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-63-cinder-eyed-cats.html">Eric Rohmann</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/03/review-63-cinder-eyed-cats.html">"The Cinder-Eyed Cats"</a> review </i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>"What an honor it is to have been Bookie Woogied. My most cherished review! Thanks so much."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-64-wonder-book.html">Paul Schmid</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/04/review-64-wonder-book.html">"The Wonder Book"</a> review</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"It was such a lovely post, it made me want to cry (in a good way)."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/05/review-67-quiet-book.html">Renata Liwska</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/05/review-67-quiet-book.html">"The Quiet Book"</a> review </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"I
just read the post and I swear, I laughed out loud! It is truly,
TRUUUUUUULY my FAVORITE interview by leaps and bounds that anyone has
EVER done! WOW WOW WOW!!! This is just the coolest blog."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Author/Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/06/interview-7-laurie-keller.html">Laurie Keller</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/06/interview-7-laurie-keller.html">"Birdie's Smile Book"</a> interview </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"I
believe all of you are the most wonderful readers of my books. I’ve
never met readers like you who could read my
ideas perfectly and find every detail I made. Moreover, you can read in
your own creative way. Your family encourages me a lot, and even your
comments give me inspiration. And most of all your drawings are
wonderful. I am so moved." </b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Author/Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-78-shadow.html">Suzy Lee</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/12/review-78-shadow.html">"Shadow"</a> review</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"I think my heart's about to burst!"</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-82-dotty.html">Julia Denos</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/01/review-82-dotty.html">"Dotty"</a> review</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"Bookie
Woogie remains my favorite book reviewer. A wonderful model for
parents about how to talk to their kids about books and extend the
learning"</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Newbery winning author <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-88-princess-academy.html">Shannon Hale</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/02/review-88-princess-academy.html">"Princess Academy"</a> review</i></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i> </i></div>
<b>"You
know I am a huge and long-time fan of your work, and nearly fainted
with joy to see my own book reviewed here. Thank you thank you thank you great readers,
great children, great bloggers, and great artists." </b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Author <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/03/review-90-fairly-fairy-tales.html">Esme Codell</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/03/review-90-fairly-fairy-tales.html">"Fairly Fairy Tales"</a> review </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"Honestly,
when I saw this I was speechless. I am completely wowed by the Bookie
Woogie Bloggers' creation! Not only are the shadow puppets so
beautifully done, the pacing, script, and music is great, too. This is
the perfect movie to show students before and after they read the book."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Newbery honor author <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/05/review-96-where-mountain-meets-moon.html">Grace Lin</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/05/review-96-where-mountain-meets-moon.html">"Where the Mountain Meets the Moon"</a> video</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"I
can't tell you how much your review meant to me. Your kids' drawings
and conversation has been my favorite part of being a children's
illustrator to date."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-99-ribbit-rabbit.html">Mike Lowery</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-99-ribbit-rabbit.html">"Ribbit, Rabbit"</a> review</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"Getting kid art by the Bookie Woogie kids is the fan art equivalent of making the cover of Rolling Stone."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Author/Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/10/interview-13-jarrett-j-krosoczka.html">Jarrett Krosoczka</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/10/interview-13-jarrett-j-krosoczka.html">"Ollie the Purple Elephant"</a> interview</i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>"I
was having a rough week... lots of little things going wrong. My rule
is: mope for 5 minutes, then sketch something. First, for some
mysterious reason, I googled "This is the Stable <i>></i> reviews." And
there you all were! </b><br />
<br />
<b>This is without a doubt,
the most exciting, endearing, and astonishingly cheerful thing that's
twirled my way in many moons. The more I read their comments, the more I
smiled. Thank you for reading my little book with your fine crew.</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/12/review-53-this-is-stable.html">Delana Bettoli</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/12/review-53-this-is-stable.html">"This is the Stable"</a> review </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"Best.
Review. Ever. There is nothing quite like the feeling of clicking to
one of your favorite book blogs and discovering your own book is the
day’s entry.
I’m thrilled. And that art! ASTOUNDING."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Author <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-121-prairie-thief.html">Melissa Wiley</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/01/review-121-prairie-thief.html">"The Prairie Thief"</a> review </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"A lot of people depend on your blog for comfort every day."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Author/Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/04/interview-6-adam-rex.html">Adam Rex</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2010/04/interview-6-adam-rex.html">"Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich"</a> interview</i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<b>"Oh
me, oh my, this is without a doubt the BEST review I have received.
And I include those professional doofuses when I say that. Everything
after this point will be downhill."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Author <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-122-giant-dance-party.html">Betsy Bird</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/04/review-122-giant-dance-party.html">"Giant Dance Party"</a> review </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"I am not exaggerating when I type a tear is in my eye. I have been Zenzed.</b><br />
<br />
<b>'Louise'
is on Bookie Woogie, a blog from a family I have never met in person
but have known online for over seven years. Aaron Zenz you inspire and
now your kids do as well. Thanks for this gift. I am so touched that
your amazingly creative family likes my book."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Author/Illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/12/reviews-136-140-end-of-year-favorites.html">Kelly Light</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/12/reviews-136-140-end-of-year-favorites.html">"Lousie Loves Art"</a> review </i></div>
<br />
<br />
<b>"Your blog has been instrumental for me. For a lot of the accolades I’ve received, I owe a huge thanks to you guys."</b><br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i>- Caldecott winning author/illustrator <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2015/07/interview-20-dan-santat.html">Dan Santat</a></i></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<i><a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2015/07/interview-20-dan-santat.html">"Beekle"</a> interview</i><br />
<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M-Opv-bA7KA/VaqjTP94T_I/AAAAAAAAKjc/M2zd-naIC04/s1600/SantatGracie.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M-Opv-bA7KA/VaqjTP94T_I/AAAAAAAAKjc/M2zd-naIC04/s1600/SantatGracie.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M-Opv-bA7KA/VaqjTP94T_I/AAAAAAAAKjc/M2zd-naIC04/s320/SantatGracie.gif" width="248" /></a></div>
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<i><span class="null">Dan Santat is the most recent winner of the prestigious Caldecott Award for his book </span><span class="null">“The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend.” He has also been a big part of our blog. Over the course of Bookie Woogie's 140 reviews / seven year history, Dan holds the record for most books featured. There are a smattering of creators with 2 books that we've looked at. There are just two authors
with 3 books reviewed. But Dan was the only person who happened to garner 4
reviews. Clearly we love his work! We're honored that Dan took time out of his crazy-busy, book-making, interview-giving, festival-touring schedule to chat with us about Creative Life. Thanks Dan! </span></i><br />
<i><span class="null"></span></i><i><span class="null"><span class="null"><i>(portrait by Gracie) </i></span></span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span class="null">We'll start things off by taking a look at his latest...</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316199982/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316199982&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QO3FB4DFD6CRFDMD" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 0em; margin-top: 0.4em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aaNT1FMZb-I/U6HBZBRMo5I/AAAAAAAAJqs/U5I8ebpe8Ug/s200/14Beekle.jpg" width="155" /></a>Dad:</span> “The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend.” <br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 14):</span> Oh, it has a long title. All along I thought the book was just called “Beekle.”<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">9</span></span>):</span> </span></span></span></span>It’s about a little white chubby guy who needs a friend. He doesn’t have one because no one wished for him. <br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 16):</span> Imaginary friends get claimed by little kids -- imagined by little kids. But Beekle never got imagined, so he decided to go out to the real world to find someone who could be his friend. <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>He had to sail on the clouds. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What did we notice as Beekle moves further away from his imaginary world to the real world?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It goes from bright, happy colors to depressing and gray.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> The colors are lessening. Everything is gray and sad. Except for music.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 12):</span> And cake.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Good things. Because music and cake make people happy.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And we know that’s not random a decision. Dan Santat could have put all these grownups in green dresses and red shirts. So <i>why</i> do you think he chose to fill the grownup world with whites and grays?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Because old people are boring.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yep.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Because in the real world, everything is just regular. There is nothing--<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Nobody’s special. That’s the lesson here. <i>Ha ha ha.</i><br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> There is a lack of imagination.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What happens next?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Beekle finds some kids on a playground, but there was still nobody there for him. <br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> This looks like such a fun playground. You can climb in a whale! Our playgrounds are NOT this fun. <br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> He climbed a tree and saw a little girl who was drawing. But her paper blew away into the tree, so he grabbed it for her. <br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>It was a girl named Alice, and the paper had a picture of Beekle handing Alice a picture of Beekle handing Alice a picture of Beekle handing…<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It could go on forever.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> All the pages she was coloring show the pictures from "The Adventures of Beekle," even all the beginning pictures from before we met Alice. See, there’s Beekle walking around the boring-cake-grandma-lady.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Alice turned out to be the… the… Imaginator.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Sounds like a super hero: “The Imaginator.”<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> He’s the Imagin<i>ee</i>. So she’s the Imagin<i>ator</i>.<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>Imagineer.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> That’s what they call them at Disney World.<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>She was the one who had imagined him. She wrote his story. <br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> She’s a Creative.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> They are a match!<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The end papers show that the imaginary friends match up to the interests of the person who imagines them.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Like, there’s this little kid with a kite, so her imaginary friend is this cute little cloud guy. And there’s a girl with origami stuff, so her imaginary friend is a paper-looking panda. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So the end papers are important. They are more than just filler.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I love the endpapers!<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The other imaginary friends in the book are colorful.<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>I love the imaginary Octopus Guy. Have you ever seen a purple octopus with such freakishly big eyes and designs all over him?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> But Beekle doesn’t really have any color. He's just white. So that’s weird.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do you remember what Alice’s interest is? What would “white” represent if you are an artist?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Possibility!<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>This book is pretty cool.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It’s like traveling through imagination.<br />
<br />
<i>And now, an interview with Dan Santat:</i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Thanks for chatting with us today!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>We’ve known each other for, like, seven years. But technically this is the first time we’ve met!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It's the first time we’ve had a conversation.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>How are things in Michigan?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Cold and wet.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It’s been raining a lot.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>That’s not a problem here in Southern California. It never rains. We have no weather here.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Come to Michigan. You can get frostbite and sunburn in the same week.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Let’s interview! Who has a question?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I’ll start. You wrote "Beekle" and "Sidekicks," but a lot of your books are ones you illustrated for other authors. What are some of the things that are different when you’re making your own book compared to doing art for some one else’s story?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>I think the beauty of illustrating my own books is that when I write, I already have illustrations in mind. So I don’t have to <i>say</i> certain things because I know they will be illustrated.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Sure.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>If I am illustrating for someone else, I have to play with the author on equal ground. Even if I think a visual element might be a better solution, I still have to respect the text. But when I am writing, I know the underlying meaning I want to communicate. And if I can convey the message more effectively in illustrations, I have the flexibility to lean that way. <br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Do you have a specific example of how that played out in "Beekle"?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>There’s a spread where Beekle finally leaves the island, and you see the Rainbow Dragon coming out of the cloud, and the <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YV2psHE5V20/VafsF3eXm9I/AAAAAAAAKg4/RgW0pPiCARk/s1600/DSantat_Beekle_Int.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.7em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YV2psHE5V20/VafsF3eXm9I/AAAAAAAAKg4/RgW0pPiCARk/s320/DSantat_Beekle_Int.jpg" width="242" /></a>text says, “He did the unimaginable.”<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> That’s my favorite!<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It’s a great page.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> All those colors.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>I like to let the illustrations say as much as possible. So I don’t write, “Then he built a ship and left to go find a friend in the real world…” That’s already being communicated in the illustration. You already see him sailing off on a boat. He’s clearly going on an adventure. So I don’t have to write that. Rather, the text has the power to add something extra. Saying “he did the unimaginable” gives it some heart, a little more charm.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> You do a good job with visual storytelling. <br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Aw, thank-you.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> If you took all the words out of the book, you could probably still tell what was going on.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Actually I think if you just read the text alone, you could also interpret things in a completely different way. The words almost tell a different story that just happens to run parallel with the visuals. And I think that’s the place you want to be with storytelling. You don’t want words that tell you what you are already looking at. You want the pictures to say one thing and you want the text to imply more. You don’t want it to be a one on one relationship. Like figure skaters who have to work in tandem to make this beautiful performance. They are feeding off of each other.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Very cool.<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>How are you able to illustrate so many books? You have a ton of them.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>I look back over the last ten years of my life, and I can see how much work I’ve done. But I don’t think it was until after I won the Caldecott that I asked myself <i>how</i> I did it. Last year I did 13 books.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Wow!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>That’s so mentally and physically exhausting.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I bet!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>I never want to do that ever again.<br />
<i><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kids:</span> Ha ha hah…</i><br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>A lot of my work is dictated by my need to provide for the family. I’m always worried that things will fall apart, and then suddenly I won’t have anything. So I take everything I’m offered, which isn’t necessarily a good thing. But I’ve also gotten great opportunities to work on projects with some amazing people which you would be foolish not to take. Like last year I worked on 13 books, but 5 of those were books with Dav Pilkey. And you’d be a fool not to work with<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPDRofuZ43I/Vafu83TCZxI/AAAAAAAAKhE/0ittTkvJQJ8/s1600/RicottaSantat.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aPDRofuZ43I/Vafu83TCZxI/AAAAAAAAKhE/0ittTkvJQJ8/s200/RicottaSantat.jpg" width="137" /></a> Dav Pilkey.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> But on top of what you are saying – those 5 Ricky Ricotta books with Dav Pilkey were gigantic! Each one of those books was like 10 books worth of illustration!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Right. Right. So how do I do it? I have a very streamlined process that helps me tremendously. With picture books, I can do a spread a day.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Wow.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>With a graphic novel like Sidekicks, I told myself, “I am doing 5 pages a day.” If I know how many I have to get done in a day, that’s all I focus on. <br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> So what part of the work is the most important to you? Where do you invest most of your creative energy? <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Since your time is so limited.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Is it in character design? Something else?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>I’m really poor with character design. There are people who will draw the character over and over again. I’m a little different. I jump right into the dummy book. I’m figuring everything out while I’m drawing the dummy book. Doing the sketches is the most important part to me. I probably spend 70% of my efforts making sure the sketches are tight and perfect. So then when it goes to color, everything is a smooth process.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> When you say sketches, are you talking about composition?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Everything… Page turns and pacing. Composition. The forms – like if I’m drawing a hand, that hand has to look perfect in the sketches – I don’t want to have to fix that in the finals. If the sketches are solid and perfect, then the finals just turn into a big coloring book I fill in. <br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Is there ever a time where you just don’t have inspiration though? If you have artist’s block, if things just aren’t coming to you, is there a system or something that you have? Do you just keep trying? Or do you go away and do something else for a while?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>If that happens, typically I’ll pick at it a little bit everyday, just a little at a time. 15 or 20 minutes. I pick at it lightly because if I get to a point where I am downright frustrated with myself, I’ll never want look back at it ever again. <br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Yeah.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>When I have a creative block like that, I’ll keep myself occupied. Sometimes I’ll read. Sometimes I’ll sketch. I’ll ask friends if they’ve read any other books similar to the idea I’m working on. I might explore those books to see if they jostle something in my mind to get me moving forward.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I know Isaac has an art question for you. Maybe you can jostle something loose for him...<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I’ve been looking at different people’s art in comics and graphic novels. When there’s an action pose, like someone is kicking at a wall, one of two things will happen. It will either look like there is a lot of motion and he’s actually kicking the wall. Or it will look like a character just has his leg up and is holding a pose. In your books like “Sidekicks” or “Ninja Pigs” it looks like your illustrations have motion <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-I10--Vw60/VafybhuDDzI/AAAAAAAAKhQ/r5tL4EbfDC4/s1600/3%252Bninja%252Bpigs.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-I10--Vw60/VafybhuDDzI/AAAAAAAAKhQ/r5tL4EbfDC4/s1600/3%252Bninja%252Bpigs.png" /></a>in them. How do you get that? <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-I10--Vw60/VafybhuDDzI/AAAAAAAAKhQ/r5tL4EbfDC4/s1600/3%252Bninja%252Bpigs.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"></a>Is there something you keep in the back of your mind while you are drawing?<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-I10--Vw60/VafybhuDDzI/AAAAAAAAKhQ/r5tL4EbfDC4/s1600/3%252Bninja%252Bpigs.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"></a><br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Have you ever read “How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way”? <br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I’ve heard about it from a lot of different people. I know that artists I’ve looked up on youtube have recommended it.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>I swear by it. There’s a great spread that talks about how normal people punch vs how super heroes punch. A lot of it is about exaggerating the form. If a normal person throws a punch, it would be two feet planted on the ground and they are throwing their fist into the body.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Sure.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>But if you are Captain America, that’s not good enough. You are leaping into that person. And you are not just throwing your fist in there, but your shoulder is in there too… See if you can push it further. On a scale from 1 to 10, see if you can push it to a 12. Really overdo it.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Okay. That’s cool.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>There’s also another great book. I think it’s called Bridgman’s Constructive Anatomy. His philosophy of drawing has to do with “wedging.” So you look at the torso like a rectangular block, and the hips would be another rectangular block. You draw these two blocks on top of each other and then connect the forms. But you treat it like a sponge. If you are turning the body, you are twisting the sponge. If you are leaning backwards you are bending the sponge backwards. You have to draw the figure with those kind of properties in mind. <br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Very cool.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>It’s really observation. Experimentation. Repetition. If you want to draw an effective punch, don’t copy a photo of someone throwing a punch. It’s best to have the idea in your mind of what a powerful punch is, and then express that.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Okay.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> The feeling.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Express the feeling of a big punch rather than trying to reproduce a photo of someone throwing a big punch.<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0b08bxIaT64/Ti0IDoFEFmI/AAAAAAAAFl8/xjhTiG8oyKI/s1600/Sidekicks.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 0em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633167567301645922" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0b08bxIaT64/Ti0IDoFEFmI/AAAAAAAAFl8/xjhTiG8oyKI/s200/Sidekicks.jpg" style="float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 134px;" /></a><span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Okay. Thank you!<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>You make both graphic novels and picture books. What do you like most about each?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Picture books are the hardest things ever to make.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Really?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Yeah. With a graphic novel you have the freedom of 150 to 200 pages to tell a story. You can use as many panels as necessary to build a character’s emotions. But with a picture book, you have 17 spreads for <i>everything</i>, beginning, middle, and end. <br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It’s like a haiku.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Or any poem.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Getting your thoughts across in a limited number of syllables.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Shorter doesn’t make it easier.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>One of the biggest struggles with "Beekle" was trying to establish – okay everybody, there’s this island where imaginary friends come from and they have to be imagined by kids in order to leave the island. To explain this whole new world I’ve built in 2 or 3 spreads? Tremendous challenge! <br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> That makes sense.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>So when I make a picture book, it’s more about telling a metaphor or expressing a single idea. But with a graphic novel it’s more about character and building emotion. Fortunately, in "Beekle" I could tell this metaphor about being a father and meeting my son for the first time, and that in itself injected a lot of emotion into the story.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> So that’s the story behind Beekle? Your son?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Beekle was my son’s first word for bicycle.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Awww, I didn’t know that.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>I came up with the original idea for the book back in art school. At that time it was about an imaginary friend who was so bizarre-looking that no child could imagine him. But after the birth of my son, it became a metaphor for the birth of my son. The journey of being a father. The anticipation of saying, “What is this child going to be like?”<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> We know you also made the TV show “The Replacements.” <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HkZ88tOX7fk/Vaf1J74d5ZI/AAAAAAAAKhc/DR9am0vMiV0/s1600/repla.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HkZ88tOX7fk/Vaf1J74d5ZI/AAAAAAAAKhc/DR9am0vMiV0/s200/repla.jpg" width="200" /></a> I’m wondering how writing TV shows compares to books. <br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Working on television was not my favorite thing. You have a room full of executives who do not necessarily have a good sense of storytelling or of art and design. But they do have a job, which is to tell you how to get the most viewers into a time slot. So rather than helping you speak true to your voice, it is more important to them to appeal to as many people as possible. So all your content is watered down to make it palatable for everybody. Which can be really frustrating.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Uh-huh.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>At one point, <i>everything</i> I turned in would get notes for changes. Nothing was ever okay. It can get you to a point where you feel like you don’t know how to write anymore. It got really discouraging. So after I found out the show got picked up for a 2nd and 3rd season, I left. I decided I needed to focus my attention in children’s books because that’s where my voice will be purest in its form. I was really proud of the books while I made them, but it wasn’t until they came out and I saw how well they were being received that I thought… okay, I’m not crazy. Those executives are crazy.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Yeah.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> How did you react when you found out Beekle won the Caldecott Award?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Around the end of the year, everyone starts making their predictions about who will win. That’s the last thing you want read because it will always stay in your mind. But when teachers start tweeting <i>AT</i> you saying, “Hey, you won our mock-Caldecott,” you start feeling like this might happen. My publicist and my agent had to call me and say, "You need to stop reading these things because it’s driving you insane."<br />
<i><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kids:</span> Ha ha ha ha…</i><br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>But then the Hornbook did a Caldecott prediction on their blog. And my publicist and agent both sent me that link… “Oh, Hornbook talked about you – this changes things.” I remember saying, “You told me not to read this stuff! And yet you are sending me this link!”<br />
<i><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kids:</span> Ha haha ha ha.</i><br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>So the day before the announcements, my wife made it a point for me to not have my mind on it at all. Which meant we had to be surrounded by friends, we had to do something to keep my mind occupied. I received “crossing-my-fingers-for-you” emails the night before. Which I appreciated, but at the same time I’m like, please – my nerves. I said, there’s no way I’m going to fall asleep, so I worked. I closed my eyes around 2:30 and woke up at 4:15, a bundle of nerves. The first thought in my mind was, maybe they already called the winners and it wasn’t me. Why did I even think I had a chance? And then you feel bad about feeling sad. This is all from months and months of people speculating. It just builds up. Then 15 minutes later at 4:30 the phone rang and I thought, this has to be it... there is nobody else who would be calling me at this time. <br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The Caldecott people call really, really early in the morning!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>I answered the phone thinking at best it would be an Honor... no way would it be the Medal. When they told me I won the Medal, I just cried. I started crying right there on the spot.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_UNxe9g2Z0/Vaf2TqF7QMI/AAAAAAAAKho/7LNxVOrLr7A/s1600/beekle_raisedarms_main.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B_UNxe9g2Z0/Vaf2TqF7QMI/AAAAAAAAKho/7LNxVOrLr7A/s320/beekle_raisedarms_main.jpg" width="217" /></a>Gracie:</span> Awww.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>It’s just such an emotional thing. You never think it’s going to ever happen to you. The entire following week turned into a huge emotional rush. <br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Yea!!!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>So there’s this thing – it’s great to win a Caldecott Medal of course.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>But the other end of winning is that now you are more mindful of the next projects you take. There’s a feeling of this quality that you have to uphold now. I’m working on the manuscript for my next picture book, and I can’t help but think this has to be as good as Beekle. And it doesn’t. But you put that pressure on yourself. Being given this honor, you feel like you have to live up to it. Daily.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Well, we're so happy for you. And thanks so much for chatting with us!<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>My pleasure! Thank you guys! I hope we get a chance to meet in person someday.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Yes, me too!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>So this is going to be the last post on your blog? You guys are wrapping things up?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> You are the Grand Finale!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Aw, gee. You guys are sweet. That’s awesome.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span>
We love your books. I’ve been going through the Archives, and we’ve reviewed more of your books than anyone else’s. All along, you’ve been a big part of this blog.<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Dan Santat: </span>Well, thank you for seven wonderful years of your support! I feel like from the beginning it was <i>you</i> guys and <a href="http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/" target="_blank">Betsy Bird</a> and <a href="http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/" target="_blank">Jules Danielson</a> who really picked me up from out of all the authors and illustrators and put me on this pedestal. Your blog has been instrumental for me. For a lot of the accolades I’ve received, I owe a huge thanks to you guys.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LCb4D2DNSNU/VaqeCLXWSuI/AAAAAAAAKjE/gUhA5Dqm6HA/s1600/ElijahBeekle.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LCb4D2DNSNU/VaqeCLXWSuI/AAAAAAAAKjE/gUhA5Dqm6HA/s320/ElijahBeekle.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Beekle and the Octopus Guy</b>, by Elijah</i></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K1Rz-Twva1o/Vak7F_PLb2I/AAAAAAAAKig/Gx0DEsL576k/s1600/LilyBeekle.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K1Rz-Twva1o/Vak7F_PLb2I/AAAAAAAAKig/Gx0DEsL576k/s320/LilyBeekle.gif" width="261" /></a></div>
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<i><b>imaginary friends</b>, by Lily </i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_lrMZC0kfCg/Vak7B5FCiTI/AAAAAAAAKiQ/vz4BLVMasjg/s1600/GraceBeekle.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_lrMZC0kfCg/Vak7B5FCiTI/AAAAAAAAKiQ/vz4BLVMasjg/s320/GraceBeekle.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>
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<i><b>plush Beekle</b>, by Gracie</i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KehKbGqGfeQ/Vak7FSetNDI/AAAAAAAAKic/LypfjHFAQ5c/s1600/IsaacBeekle.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KehKbGqGfeQ/Vak7FSetNDI/AAAAAAAAKic/LypfjHFAQ5c/s400/IsaacBeekle.jpg" width="390" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Beekle and the Rainbow Dragon</b>, by Isaac </i></div>
<i></i><br />
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://dansantat.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Dan Santat</a><br />
Published, 2014: <a href="http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/dan-santat/the-adventures-of-beekle-the-unimaginary-friend/9780316199988/" target="_blank">Little, Brown</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316199982/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316199982&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=5IISINX76YQJRJIE" target="_blank">Here it is!</a><br />
Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-43120300094275337132014-12-23T13:32:00.000-05:002015-07-27T07:16:50.158-04:00Reviews #136-140: end-of-year Favorites of 2014<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Earlier this year we shared 20 favorite books of 2014 <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/06/reviews-126-130.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2014/10/reviews-131-135-mid-year-favorites-of.html" target="_blank">here</a>. <span style="font-family: inherit;">After reading hundreds and hundreds of picture books, </span>we are happy to present 10 more <span style="font-family: inherit;">favorite titles that <span style="font-family: inherit;">crossed our path at the close of the year. The kids <span style="font-family: inherit;">are each<span style="font-family: inherit;"> choosing one </span></span>to highlight:</span></span></i></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442473495/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442473495&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=V2WRG3OLMHUWOF3S" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Vahn3SNpKM/VJQEXtByuMI/AAAAAAAAKN4/bwqR2VgQy2I/s1600/14cbean-cover-web.jpg" width="192" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Gracie’s kicking us off with “A Bean, a Stalk, and a Boy
Named Jack” by William Joyce and Kenny Callicutt.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 14):</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">The story was kind of like Jack and the Beanstalk, and I
thought “Oh, everybody knows that story.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But it was different.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Twisty.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Yeah, actually very different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like the twist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Straightforward tellings are nice, but I
don’t know if people would listen to that anymore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This generation is lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this book there was a bean, Jack, and a
giant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And those were the only
similarities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No golden goose, no harp,
no Fee Fi Fo Fum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">You’re right… no Fumming…</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">The giant was just a giant kid in a bathtub, chilling
out.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Now, the twist wasn’t ironic or sarcastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The book wasn’t turning the story on its
head.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Oh no.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were
no mega-huge-surprises.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was just a
different way to tell the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some
giant kid at the top of the beanstalk was in the bathtub, using up all the
water in the clouds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the people
below don’t know is that when it starts raining again, it’s stinky bathwater.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s gross.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">What things stand out to you about the art?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love the art in this book.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">On every page, the sky is ginormous and the characters
are miniscule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very tiny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think he did it on purpose because the characters are just a smallish
normal boy and a smallish normal bean.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’s putting emphasis on how small and normal they are.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">The big empty backgrounds also make it more powerful when
the stalk explodes out of the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
the first half of the book had been full and busy, that moment wouldn’t have
been as shocking.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">The stalk is BIG.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like how it looks
textured.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Everything up to that point had been small, small, small…
and then…</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">That stalk is like – WOAH – gettin’ all up in your
face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s twisty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a reoccurring thing in the art –
everything is twisty.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">The vines, the clouds, the princess’ ribbon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the dirt flying up was twisty.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">That’s what I said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Reoccurrence. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Anything else?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We
talked about the backgrounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What do
you think about the characters?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Dang, that wizard’s beard is so long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And is that bird on every page?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s cute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That bird needs a name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shall
call him “Dave.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the king in this
book is taking “embarrassing-dad” to a whole new level.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">He's</span></span> not a very good ruler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can see why Princess Jill was
embarrassed<span style="font-family: inherit;">... </span><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>“Dad!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stop making the nuns cry all over your feet…”</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">Any last thoughts?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span><span style="font-size: small;">I think it’s a
cute book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be fun to read to little
kids.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ha ha…</i> Of course, little kids <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">love</i>
vegetables and taking baths – it’s their favorite! </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062248170/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062248170&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QFCZ3J3ZE3XGODJT" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y1txLAkG8Vg/VG9IyMPuFoI/AAAAAAAAKMg/Uqx-xnq4Ku0/s1600/14cLouiseLovesArt.jpg" width="145" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>What book did you pick, Lil?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 11):</span> </span></span>“Louise Loves Art” by Kelly Light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is about <span style="font-family: inherit;">a</span> girl who is doing her art<span style="font-family: inherit;">-</span>stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And she draws her
masterpiece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also has a brother
named Art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the brother draws <span style="font-family: inherit;">all over</span> her
picture…</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Oh horrors…</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span>But I think he does it to be like her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because she has red glasses, and he is
drawing red glasses on <span style="font-family: inherit;">the picture</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants to
be an artist like her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>He wants to follow in the footsteps of his big sis.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>While she was trying to figure out where the masterpiece
goes on the fridge, the little brother cuts it up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And she’s like, “NOOOOOO....”<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>Then poor Art feels bad because Louise is
really sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she looks at it and
sees that Art made <span style="font-family: inherit;">the paper</span> into him and her holding hands, and then she says it’s
okay, and she loves it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So she puts it
on the fridge, and they go draw together. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Lovely.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>That’s what happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I think the book is really about how she was kind of carried away
with her masterpiece art, and she didn’t really pay much attention to her
brother Art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought her brother had
ruined her thing, but she realized he was doing it because he loved her.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>So she didn’t have Louise-Rage.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>Well, she got mad.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>But she didn’t whack him or anything.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She loves Art.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If you didn’t know her brother’s name was also named Art, you’d be so
confused.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Have any of the kids in our family ever frustrated you?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>The other day I drew the perfect picture of Catbug, and
Evie drew on it.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Did you have Lily-Rage?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>I told her she had to ask before drawing on other
people’s pictures.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>The illustration where Louise has paper with drawings
spread out everywhere reminds me a lot of how you draw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I was your age, I would work on one
picture for a long time.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>But you are
about Volume.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You grab a stack of paper
and sit there cranking out drawings until the stack is gone.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>I’m fast at it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
draw pictures of what I’m thinking about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pictures pop into my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I’ll
have new idea related to the picture I just drew.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it goes on and on like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the last picture will end up totally
different from the beginning.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>In the book, Louise says that art is “my imagination on the
outside.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That sounds like what you’re
describing.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>It’s just drawing whatever pops into my brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s basically my brain on a piece of paper.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>That sounds disgusting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Kelly Light said it much more poetically.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>Yeah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ha ha…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have weird things that pop into my
head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s very interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I draw pretty much everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On</i>
everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sometimes on my
homework.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kelly Light was probably that
kind of kid too, or her pictures probably wouldn’t look this good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because it takes practice.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>She’s good at drawing expressions and emotions.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>I love drawing expressions and emotions!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I especially love drawing sad people and mad
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I love it.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>What is you favorite thing about this book?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>That the little girl loves her little brother so much.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Any last words?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>You did a good job, Kelly Light!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Go Kelly go!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I like your story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s cute and
lovely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lovely, lovely.</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763662291/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763662291&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=36R3EX3OCJFHNAHC" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rcHseN_CaxA/VG9I06FDcFI/AAAAAAAAKM4/LFGWKH0FmKQ/s1600/14sam%2B%26%2Bdave%2Bdig%2Ba%2Bhole.jpg" width="148" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>What book do you have Elijah?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">9</span></span>):</span> </span></span>Sam and Dave Dig a Hole.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>And you had to fight for this book, didn’t you.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the best
book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half the kids wanted to review
this one.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>The author is Mac Barnett...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>He also wrote the book “Oh No.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>And a different guy illustrated <span style="font-family: inherit;">this one</span> – Jon Klassen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also did “I Want My Hat Back” and “This is
Not My Hat.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>And look – Sam and Dave are wearing hats too.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>But nobody dies in this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i>
they....</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>Yeah, the ending is confusing.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Tell me about this book...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>A guy named Sam and a guy named Dave dig a hole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They want to find something cool and
exciting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But they find dirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they decide to turn another way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if they went straight down they would
have found diamonds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time they
change direction, they were almost to the diamonds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the diamonds get bigger and bigger and
bigger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is just – oh my goodness –
that’s not possible!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The diamond is so
big!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just sad for them.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Do Sam and Dave feel bad?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Nope.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have no idea there are diamonds.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Do they ever find anything exciting? </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bottom of
the world.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>This book is kind of divided into two halves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first half is about digging holes and
missing diamonds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is the second
half about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it clear what happens in
the second half of the book?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sam and Dave</span> fall
through the bottom of the world.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Well, there is some hot debate about that…</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>There is?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For anyone who hasn’t
yet read the fantastic “Sam and Dave Dig a Hole,” Elijah and I delve into some
theories about the ending that get pretty spoilerish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you read the book?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want to know what Elijah and I think
happened?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can read that part of our
conversation by clicking <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/p/sam-and-dave-dig-hole-theories.html" target="_blank">HERE…</a></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>Do you think the authors actually know what happens
at the end? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or did they write it that
way on purpose so people could make up theories?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>That<span style="font-family: inherit;"> would be</span> a good question for them<span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">So Elijah</span>, do you think there is anything hiding in our yard that we could
find if we just knew where to dig?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>Maybe Indian bones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because a lot of
Native Americans lived around here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ojibwe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Chippewa -- they are the same thing.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>We dig in the snow more than in the dirt.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>Yeah, so we never find anything.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Are there any lessons to learn from this book?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> </span></span></span></span>Dig straight.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442459352/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442459352&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QUCFUKJDMW2B6EL2" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nYdTIr3tarM/VG9IySLFurI/AAAAAAAAKMo/rfeoEYtxrzk/s1600/14chug-machine.jpg" width="170" /></a></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Evie, what is your story pick?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline (age 6):</span> </span></span>Hug Machine.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>By Scott Campbell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And who exactly is the Hug Machine?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span>A little boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
hugs everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He might be pretending
he is a machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Do you know anyone who hugs as much as he does?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span></span></span>You are a hugger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am a hugger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We hug all the
time.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Tell me about the hugs in this book…</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span></span></span>The boy starts out hugging his mom and his dad and his
sister.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he starts hugging other
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also hugs a bear and a
turtle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he hugs a fire hydrant, a
mailbox-thingie-ma-jigger, and a tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Why do you think he hugs so much?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span></span></span>Hugs never have to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When you are sad or when you hurt your feelings, you get a hug.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Hugs mean love.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span></span></span>And love never fails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And it never gives up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hugs can
always keep saying “I love you.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>So I guess I should follow you to school and keep hugging
you all day.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span></span></span>But you can’t follow me into the girl’s bathroom.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Then you’ll just have to hold it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there anything you think the Hug Machine
couldn’t hug?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span></span></span>He couldn’t hug his own hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How would he hug his own hair?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s find out if I can hug my own hair...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>He might just have to give it a little love pat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He hugs some weird things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s the weirdest thing YOU ever hugged?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span></span></span>I never hugged anything weird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I ate grass before.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>That is pretty weird.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0867131586/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0867131586&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=IVGOGDRJGVO4I5G2" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8JvlSPFFowQ/VG9IxeoM3xI/AAAAAAAAKMY/S-WqDk54AJ0/s1600/14cClassic_Bedtime_Stories_large.png" width="173" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Here’s Maggie’s book!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s by Scott Gustafson and is called “Classic Bedtime Stories.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it bedtime now?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena (age 3):</span> </span></span></span>Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s not THAT dark.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>There are lots of stories in here. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which are we going to talk about?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span>I’m going to show you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I want to do that one and that one and that one and that one.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Who is the lady in this first story?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Sleeping Beauty!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That guy is going to kiss her, and she will come back to life.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Is that how you wake <span style="font-family: inherit;">D</span>addy up?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I sit on you.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>How about this story… You love “Little Sambha and the
Tigers.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>The tiger stole pants from a little guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Uh-oh. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Don’t steal pants from little guys.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Another tiger took
the little guy’s shoes and put them on his ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tigers are supposed to wear nothing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And they are not supposed to talk.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>These are some crazy tigers.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Naughty tigers!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That little guy is going to be naked.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Tell me about another <span style="font-family: inherit;">story</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you know th<span style="font-family: inherit;">e</span> little boy’s name in this one?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>His name is Jack<span style="font-family: inherit;">A</span>nd<span style="font-family: inherit;">T</span>he<span style="font-family: inherit;">B</span>eanstalk.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>What does he do?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Jack<span style="font-family: inherit;">A</span>nd<span style="font-family: inherit;">T</span>he<span style="font-family: inherit;">B</span>eanstalk is taking the giant’s money!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jack<span style="font-family: inherit;">A</span>nd<span style="font-family: inherit;">T</span>he<span style="font-family: inherit;">B</span>eanstalk is carrying his chicken!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>And what does the giant say?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>“Fee Fo Fi!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I smell something!”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Who does he smell?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>He smells Jack<span style="font-family: inherit;">A</span>nd<span style="font-family: inherit;">T</span>he<span style="font-family: inherit;">B</span>eanstalk.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Let’s do one last story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Who are the animals in this one?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Billy Goats.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>We can learn from the Billy Goats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If a troll ever wants to eat you, you just
say “Wait until my big sister Evie comes, she’s much tastier than I am<span style="font-family: inherit;">...</span>”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>No – eat Daddy!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Eat Daddy?!?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Yeah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">And t</span>he troll
gets knocked into the water!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s funny!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>So, it’s funny to knock people into the water?</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>I’m going to knock <i><span style="font-family: inherit;">Daddy</span></i>
in the water!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Oh man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Things aren’t going so well
for <span style="font-family: inherit;">Daddy</span> today.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Hee hee hee!</span></span></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x-Vye__wE4k/VJm0ZugskbI/AAAAAAAAKPQ/M4IfQpXDtKo/s1600/GraceBean.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x-Vye__wE4k/VJm0ZugskbI/AAAAAAAAKPQ/M4IfQpXDtKo/s1600/GraceBean.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Jack riding a bean pod</b>, by Gracie</i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uq6g28tyWM8/VJiEVpe2_sI/AAAAAAAAKOo/tOxAK3fJ9so/s1600/LilyLouise.gif" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uq6g28tyWM8/VJiEVpe2_sI/AAAAAAAAKOo/tOxAK3fJ9so/s1600/LilyLouise.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Art and Louise</b>, by Lily</i><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_w68K4Uj5dU/VJmfM8hGstI/AAAAAAAAKPA/q3C6s_kLbFo/s1600/ElijahHole.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_w68K4Uj5dU/VJmfM8hGstI/AAAAAAAAKPA/q3C6s_kLbFo/s1600/ElijahHole.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<i> <b>Sam finds a diamond</b>, by Elijah</i><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKWjfdIETfU/VJiERbgURAI/AAAAAAAAKOg/e_pWDE2beZg/s1600/EvieHug.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uKWjfdIETfU/VJiERbgURAI/AAAAAAAAKOg/e_pWDE2beZg/s1600/EvieHug.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>a warm hug from the Hug Machine</b>, by Evangeline</i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7NwWipz5Yhg/VJiEZHzVrxI/AAAAAAAAKOw/o6HULw0a8ck/s1600/MaggieSambha.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7NwWipz5Yhg/VJiEZHzVrxI/AAAAAAAAKOw/o6HULw0a8ck/s1600/MaggieSambha.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><b>tiger takes Little Sambha's pants</b>, by Magdalena</i></div>
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<b>And bonus!</b> Here are 5 more favorite 2014 titles:<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423147936/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423147936&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=OEVONFMWVFQ7WDMM" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B03ydrGXUBA/VJQEbp26e1I/AAAAAAAAKOA/78vzOuYnO4Q/s1600/14coverthere.jpg" width="153" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423147936/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423147936&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=OEVONFMWVFQ7WDMM" target="_blank">Over There</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423147936/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423147936&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=OEVONFMWVFQ7WDMM" target="_blank">by Steve Pilcher</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316222585/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316222585&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=H6MBYGRBLGW3JQTS" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="187" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HDlAf8jEOrM/VG9IyZXXdwI/AAAAAAAAKMk/FqvZqfWVsr8/s1600/14cmessed.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316222585/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316222585&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=H6MBYGRBLGW3JQTS" target="_blank">A Perfectly Messed-Up Story</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316222585/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316222585&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=H6MBYGRBLGW3JQTS" target="_blank">by Patrick McDonnell</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/054785286X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=054785286X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=AAEXB7KVMQNTTB4S" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NRziZDBGnbQ/VHNTSgdFjRI/AAAAAAAAKNY/Z61stRej2oM/s1600/14ccWish.jpg" width="200" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/054785286X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=054785286X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=AAEXB7KVMQNTTB4S">Tiny Rabbit's Big Wish</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/054785286X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=054785286X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=AAEXB7KVMQNTTB4S">by <span class="st">Margarita Engle and David Walker</span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935954407/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1935954407&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=FXRWYN62JIY5AXXU" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ou_-Vns7iwU/VHNTTGIlDCI/AAAAAAAAKNc/8jOtSgJHw9o/s1600/14ccmonsterbook.jpg" width="163" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935954407/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1935954407&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=FXRWYN62JIY5AXXU" target="_blank">Monster Book</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935954407/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1935954407&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=FXRWYN62JIY5AXXU" target="_blank">by Alice Hoogstad</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938298071/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1938298071&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=USW7LO3H6WYYBN25" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-u-8QOaxYHJI/VHNTUGoCWLI/AAAAAAAAKNo/z3zS2s-dZpM/s1600/14ccidea.jpg" width="168" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938298071/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1938298071&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=USW7LO3H6WYYBN25" target="_blank">What Do You Do With an Idea</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1938298071/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1938298071&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=USW7LO3H6WYYBN25" target="_blank">by Kobi Yamada and and Mae Besom</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442473495/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442473495&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=V2WRG3OLMHUWOF3S" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Vahn3SNpKM/VJQEXtByuMI/AAAAAAAAKN4/bwqR2VgQy2I/s1600/14cbean-cover-web.jpg" width="96" /></a>A Bean, a Stalk, and a Boy Named Jack<br />
Author: <a href="http://www.williamjoyce.com/" target="_blank">William Joyce</a><br />
Illustrator: <a href="http://callicuttart.com/" target="_blank">Kenny Callicutt</a><br />
Published 2014: <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.com/A-Bean-a-Stalk-and-a-Boy-Named-Jack/William-Joyce/9781442473492" target="_blank">Atheneum Books</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442473495/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442473495&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=V2WRG3OLMHUWOF3S" target="_blank">Here it is</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062248170/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062248170&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QFCZ3J3ZE3XGODJT" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y1txLAkG8Vg/VG9IyMPuFoI/AAAAAAAAKMg/Uqx-xnq4Ku0/s1600/14cLouiseLovesArt.jpg" width="73" /></a>Louise Loves Art<br />
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://kellylight.com/prettygoodforagirl" target="_blank">Kelly Light</a><br />
Published 2014: <a href="http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062248176/louise-loves-art" target="_blank">Balzar + Bray</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062248170/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0062248170&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QFCZ3J3ZE3XGODJT" target="_blank">Here it is</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763662291/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763662291&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=36R3EX3OCJFHNAHC" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rcHseN_CaxA/VG9I06FDcFI/AAAAAAAAKM4/LFGWKH0FmKQ/s1600/14sam%2B%26%2Bdave%2Bdig%2Ba%2Bhole.jpg" width="74" /></a>Sam and Dave Dig a Hole<br />
Author: <a href="http://www.macbarnett.com/books/" target="_blank">Mac Barnett</a><br />
Illustrator: <a href="http://jonklassen.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Jon Klassen</a><br />
Published 2014: <a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=Title&mode=book&isbn=0763662291&pix=n" target="_blank">Candlewick</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763662291/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763662291&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=36R3EX3OCJFHNAHC" target="_blank">Here it is</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442459352/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442459352&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QUCFUKJDMW2B6EL2" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nYdTIr3tarM/VG9IySLFurI/AAAAAAAAKMo/rfeoEYtxrzk/s1600/14chug-machine.jpg" width="85" /></a>Hug Machine<br />
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://www.pyramidcar.com/" target="_blank">Scott Campbell</a><br />
Published 2014: <a href="http://books.simonandschuster.com/Hug-Machine/Scott-Campbell/9781442459359" target="_blank">Atheneum Books</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442459352/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442459352&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QUCFUKJDMW2B6EL2" target="_blank">Here it is</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0867131586/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0867131586&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=IVGOGDRJGVO4I5G2" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8JvlSPFFowQ/VG9IxeoM3xI/AAAAAAAAKMY/S-WqDk54AJ0/s1600/14cClassic_Bedtime_Stories_large.png" width="87" /></a>Classic Bedtime Stories<br />
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://www.scottgustafson.com/" target="_blank">Scott Gustafson</a><br />
Published 2014: <a href="http://www.greenwichworkshop.com/details/default.asp?p=4079&t=3&page=1&detailtype=books" target="_blank">Greenwich Workshop Press</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0867131586/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0867131586&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=IVGOGDRJGVO4I5G2" target="_blank">Here it is</a><br />
<br />Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-75567919714056597122014-10-06T11:06:00.000-04:002014-11-13T09:06:36.571-05:00Interview #19: Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Otljp0FIGpQ/VDKpXUzw_4I/AAAAAAAAKGE/pO_W86L4Txk/s1600/GraceSudipta.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: -0.6em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Otljp0FIGpQ/VDKpXUzw_4I/AAAAAAAAKGE/pO_W86L4Txk/s1600/GraceSudipta.gif" height="320" width="249" /></a><i>Today we are happy to share an interview with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen! She has written over 30 books for children and also runs the blog <a href="http://nerdychicksrule.com/" target="_blank">Nerdy Chicks Rule</a>. I had the privilege of illustrating one of her latest picture books called Orangutangled. Three of the Z-Girls and I chatted about the book, and then Sudipta joined in for an interview about the origins and inspirations behind Orangutangled. </i><i><i>As is typical, writer and illustrator didn't interact at all during the
creation of the book, so this interview is the first time we've ever actually talked together. </i>Thanks for the conversation, Sudipta! (portrait by Gracie)</i><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6GBeqblRPug/VCr8bsT9H7I/AAAAAAAAKEo/ZlSMK0jbfzc/s1600/OrangCover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -1em; margin-left: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6GBeqblRPug/VCr8bsT9H7I/AAAAAAAAKEo/ZlSMK0jbfzc/s1600/OrangCover.jpg" height="194" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Okay girls, <span style="font-family: inherit;">w</span></span>ho can tell us about
Orangutangled?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline (age 6):</span> </span></span>Some monkeys wake up and
are looking for food. They see some
mangoes. They reach and try to grab
them, but they all fall down. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 11):</span> </span></span>And when they fell out of
the tree, it splatted all the mangoes. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 14):</span> </span></span>Juice everywhere.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span>The monkeys all get
sticky’d and tangled up. Then they
rolled, and some more persons got tangled up too. More and more and more persons.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Persons?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span>Well, not persons.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>A yak and a boar...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>So is that it? Tangled up.
The end.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span>No, no, no, no, no. That’s not the end. Because we still have to tell the part where
there is a tiger, and they are all like, “Ahh! Teeth! The teeth are making me
scared!” The animals just don’t like the
look of the scary teeth.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>He’s going to eat them.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span>They rolled and rolled and
rolled, and the tiger gets knocked in the water.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span>And at the end he’s
floating away on a log in the ocean.
It’s kind of sad. Poor little
tiger.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span>It’s an awesome story.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span></span></span>Where does the tiger go?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>He’s going to look for Pi.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span><i>(rolling eyes)</i> Gosh,
Dad. That was bad, Dad.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span>He means, “The Life of
Pi,” Grace.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>I know. That was such a bad joke.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>What’s your favorite part
of the story, Evie?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> </span></span>I like the biggest
tangle. When everybody is tangled<span style="font-family: inherit;">, e</span>ven the tiger.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>The tiger is adorable.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span>I think this story must
have been fun to illustrate.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>I like the baby yak and
the little bird and the expression on the tiger’s face. <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span>I like the fact that the
yak is a mom and not just a plain yak.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>The yak’s a woman.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>That’s something I would
love to <span style="font-family: inherit;">ask the author</span>. Why did she write “<i>mama</i> yak”? She could have picked any adjective. Hairy.
Sleepy. Happy. Why “mama”?
The fact that she’s a mom <span style="font-family: inherit;">really </span>doesn’t have anything to do with the rest of
the story. But it led to big
ramifications for the illustrations.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span>Well, I think it makes
sense. Because a <i>mother</i> would be more likely to come help out than some random lady
would.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>A mom would be the first
person to help. A mom would be the most
sympathetic. She’d be the first person
to say, “Oo – I have to help those poor people.”</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span>It makes sense.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Alright, we’ll ask and see! Now, have you guys ever gotten tangled up
before?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>I got my head stuck in a
chair once when I was little.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>I remember that!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>Actually, it wasn’t my head – it was my whole
body. My waist got stuck between the
rungs of a chair. You had to use butter
to get me out, and that didn’t work. So
you put shampoo in there, and that didn’t work.
And we didn’t want to cut up the chair because it was one of our nice
dining room chairs.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>How did we end up getting
you out?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>You just kept putting more
and more butter and shampoo on me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span><i>Hee hee hee!</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>I think that sounds like a
new book idea!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>There were large clumps of
butter all up and down my waist.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span>Once at church I got my
hair snarled around a button on Ashleigh’s shirt. <span style="font-family: inherit;">A</span> teacher had to come save us.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Was it a mama
teacher? Let’s put your theory to the
test.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> </span></span>Actually, yes it was.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> </span></span>Any last words about the
book before we start the interview?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>It’s fun. I think children would really enjoy
this. Kids love rhymes. Kids love brightly colored animals. And what kid doesn’t love juice?!? </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>And now for our interview with Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen!</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i> </i> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Hi!!!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How are you?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>Hello, I’m doing well. There are a zillion of you…</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Well, three of the kids
are here… Three nerdy chicks...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>It feels like a zillion to
me. I’m so happy with the way
the book came out, and I hope you are too. When my son saw the book,
he said “I want to draw like that.” </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Aw, that’s cool! A great compliment, especially coming from a
family member of the author. Well, does
someone want to launch in with a question?
Do you want to go first, Evie?
This is the first time Evie has joined us for an interview.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I’m so excited – this is
the first time I’ve<span style="font-family: inherit;"> joined you for an</span> interview too.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Go ahead…</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> When did the idea for
Orangutangled start?<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I came up with the idea
many, many years ago. I really like
wordplay, and I was sitting down with a list of zoo animals. I got to “Orangutan” and thought<i>, “What word could I change a little to make
something funny out of this.”</i> And
when I found “Tangled,” I immediately had this idea of orangutans with their
big long arms all tied up in a ball. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hSApRR8MyvQ/VCrVijNWcjI/AAAAAAAAKDQ/ONsfktLEeM8/s1600/B4Orang.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.6em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hSApRR8MyvQ/VCrVijNWcjI/AAAAAAAAKDQ/ONsfktLEeM8/s1600/B4Orang.jpg" width="320" /></a>But
it’s a big journey from an idea like that to a finished story. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It takes a long time.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>Two years is a long time
to spend on one story that can be read at bedtime in 7 minutes. But it’s super cool that when I publish a
book, my name is on the cover. I think
it’s important that when your name is on something, you are really proud of it. You need to take the time until you get the
right ideas.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I’m not a rusher.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>Good
for you. So I had the idea of being tangled. And that made me think
about a big mess. And a big mess made me think of a bad
day. And when you have a bad day it can feel
like it’s rolling and snowballing out of control. Sometimes when things
look terrible, it’s
really hard to remember that it gets better.
You can be covered in mango juice… and tangled up with an orangutan… and
a tiger… and it looks like you are going to drown in the ocean… but then
everything works out. It’s about keeping
the faith. It’s easy to do when things
are going well. But when things are
tough, it’s really hard to believe that it's all going to work out.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Woah. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span><i>Hah ha ha…</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Did you realize the story
was so deep? <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kwoyJ1CUDVk/VCrVkFA6x_I/AAAAAAAAKDc/Nl_1hBAJ9WQ/s1600/B6Orang.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -1em; margin-left: 0.8em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kwoyJ1CUDVk/VCrVkFA6x_I/AAAAAAAAKDc/Nl_1hBAJ9WQ/s1600/B6Orang.jpg" width="320" /></a></span>A picture of hope?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> </span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know there are books
like that out there with </span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">a bunch of symbolism.
But I never really expect that from <i>children’s
books</i>. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It sounds all spiritual.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>There are a lot of things
that authors do that no one else is aware of.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Sometimes we interview
people and talk about silly things like giraffes on jet skis. And sometimes we interview people, and within
the first two seconds it’s like, <i>we’re
going to have to have an adult conversation...</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> In a LOT of your books
there are people who make messes. I was
wondering if that is inspired by your kids.
Or were you messy when you were younger? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I’ll tell you a secret –
I’m still messy. My kids’ bedrooms are
pretty clean because they have a mom who is yelling at them saying “Go clean up
your room!” But my room is just mess
because no one yells at me in my house. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Any messes around our
house?<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Uh, yes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> In every single room of
the house.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And whose fault is that?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>(Everyone points to Evie)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Oh! All the fingers are pointing the same
way... And Evie doesn’t appear to be
denying it...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I have three kids, and
yeah – there’s a lot of mess. And different <i>kinds</i> of
messes. You can literally drop paint all
over the floor, but you can also make mistakes that make a mess of things. What is great about family is
that when you’re with the people who love you, they can help you through the
mess. I think I try to work with that theme
a lot in my writing because as a parent it’s what I’m telling my kids. But as a person, I have to remind myself of
that too. It’s okay when I make mistakes;
it’s not the end of the world.<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Woah, more deep
symbolism... Family! Love! <span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>We all
have those moments -- in my life I’ve had a LOT of those moments. In many of my stories I try to highlight the
mistakes people make. Not because I am
trying to put them down -- I’m actually trying to show that in real
relationships these mistakes shouldn’t matter.
A lot of times we can look back and laugh them off. When you guys make a mess,
even when your parents are upset, do you ever feel that they are going to stop
loving you?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Nope.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>Isn’t that awesome? Doesn’t that feel great <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_VUaa41HtAo/VCriJ75iB_I/AAAAAAAAKEA/XaMhRf0lO0Q/s1600/04-05.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.6em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_VUaa41HtAo/VCriJ75iB_I/AAAAAAAAKEA/XaMhRf0lO0Q/s1600/04-05.jpg" width="300" /></a>to know there are
people who are always going to love you no matter what you do?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Yeah.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Are any of the characters
in your books inspired by someone specific that you know?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>Yes. Although most of the time... the character is
me. I write <i>about</i> the people - and <i>for</i>
the people - who are close to me. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I never really thought
about it, but I do that too. My friend
Katie and I write stories for each other.
And we write about things we know a lot about. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span></span>I write about things that
are important in my life. They are <i>important</i>, even if they are things I
don’t <i>like</i>. <span style="font-family: inherit;">For instance</span>, when I pick names for
the bad guys in my books, I think about kids who are mean to my children, and I
use their names. That’s a lesson kids
should learn! If you are mean to my children, I’m going to make you a bad guy in my book!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <i>Ha ha ha ha…</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>So that’s something important
to me in a different way. I don’t like
what those kids are doing, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t go tell someone else’s kids how to
behave. In life you get what you
get. But when you write a story you have
complete control. You can give your
characters the ending they <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WMm3ZTcbJSc/VCrUIwknbRI/AAAAAAAAKCs/3ktphkvqEig/s1600/sample1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.6em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WMm3ZTcbJSc/VCrUIwknbRI/AAAAAAAAKCs/3ktphkvqEig/s1600/sample1.jpg" width="200" /></a>deserve.
Sometimes they deserve to be happy.
And sometimes they deserve...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> …to be floating on a log
in the middle of the ocean.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>Exactly!
That’s really powerful. We can’t control the world. That’s not what
life is. But when we write, we can make the world what
we want.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Which character are you in
Orangutangled?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I am… the shorter
orangutan…</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>All:</b> Laughter</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I guess I am the orangutans.
I’m definitely the characters who start the problems. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Do you like mangoes? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I do. I do.
My parents are immigrants from India.
And when I was growing up we would go to India almost every summer to
see their families. They had big
families – my mother had 11 brothers and sisters, and my father had 9 brothers
and sisters – so there were cousins and aunts and uncles and all sorts of
people. And gosh, the mangoes in India
are so luscious and juicy and sweet. But
for me, mangoes don’t just taste sweet, but they remind me of a lot of really
sweet memories. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> So writing about mangoes was
more than just a random choice?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I don’t think I sat down
and said, “What is my favorite childhood fruit?” When we write, we don’t think about… <i>what is the most significant thing about my
2nd grade year?</i> Our minds just
automatically go to the important things.
I think that happened here a little bit.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Why did you put a yak and
a boar in the book instead of other animals? Were they more than random picks too?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I am really, really
nerdy. Even though I’m writing a
fictional book about orangutans that get tangled up and roll down a hill, I researched
orangutan’s natural habitats to pick animals that would appear with them. I didn’t want them to be chased by a lion,
because lions don’t live in the same places -- but tigers do. I am already asking you to believe something
that doesn’t make any sense – that these orangutans would go rolling down a
hill instead of finding something else to eat.
Since I’m asking you to believe one thing that’s unbelievable, I feel
like it helps my readers if I give them a nice <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wq1Qtircmrg/VCrVleXVA0I/AAAAAAAAKDo/ZQvwUD2yMWU/s1600/B8Orang.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -1em; margin-left: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.7em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wq1Qtircmrg/VCrVleXVA0I/AAAAAAAAKDo/ZQvwUD2yMWU/s1600/B8Orang.jpg" width="320" /></a>logical basis. So the first step is to identify all the animals
in the habitat; the second step is to pick which animals are easy to rhyme
with. Yak rhymed really well with things
like “back” and “thwak.” </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Why was it a <i>MAMA</i> yak
instead of just a normal yak<span style="font-family: inherit;">?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> That was a question I had
as an illustrator. Why <i>that</i> adjective...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I needed another word for
the syllable count. So what’s the
adjective to put in there? She could
have been a silly yak… some other adjective like that. But I also thought her action seemed very maternal. It seemed
very much like what a parent would do. A
parent would come in and say, “Oh my goodness, I’m just going to fix this for
you.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> That’s what we thought! We thought it was motherly instinct.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>Good for you! That makes me happy. Sometimes I talk about my inspirations and
motivations, and people look at me like… Really?
The book’s about that? So I like that
you understand why I wrote it that way.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I had just approached that
word from the art side. Okay, she’s a
mama yak. What are the ramifications for
me as the illustrator? Well, I have to
show that she’s a mama. Which means I
have to introduce a baby. But I didn’t
want the poor little baby to be left all alone when everyone else gets tangled
up. So I gave the orangutans a frog
friend that could later keep the baby yak company. But if they both have buddies, the boar should
have <span style="font-family: inherit;">a buddy</span> too -- so I gave him a bird.
The number of characters in the book multiplied, all because of one
little word, “mama.” None of those other
little characters would have existed if you’d picked a different adjective.<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BpyKQ9kAq8E/VCrVmmOZ9JI/AAAAAAAAKDw/Nx-kBaGNz-U/s1600/B9Orangut.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -1em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BpyKQ9kAq8E/VCrVmmOZ9JI/AAAAAAAAKDw/Nx-kBaGNz-U/s1600/B9Orangut.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> So it’s a good thing you wrote
“mama” yak!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I love how you did
that. For me it also added another
layer. You had all these characters
watching from the fringes, but in the end they share in the reward too. And when I read this book to younger kids,
I’ve seen them identify with those little characters. Younger kids aren’t always in on their
family’s adventure, but they do want to feel like they are part of things. And those characters give them a proxy in a
way that I didn’t think of – well, you know it wasn’t in the manuscript – you
added those. I think it added such a
beautiful extra layer.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> What is your favorite part
of the book?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>My favorite scene is when the
tiger gets all tangled up.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> That’s my favorite part
too!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I think it’s funny and
unexpected. And you don’t know what’s
going to happen – a little bit worried about how this is going to turn
out... Is there only going to be <i>one</i>
orangutan at the end?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Kids:</b> Ha ha heh hah!</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> That would have been a
very different book.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>And let me show you my
favorite picture… I love this spread.
How you’ve got the tiger out there floating in the ocean. In my head, I thought the tiger was going to
be eating the mangoes with them. But the
truth is, that doesn’t make any sense.
Tigers wouldn’t do that! So I
think it solved the logical problem of the book. But it also made me think of that movie, Life
of Pi –</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Kids: </b></i>GAAAAAASP!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UT-SQ-lxW5I/VCriKiuNtYI/AAAAAAAAKEE/5CG0kqk-XIo/s1600/28-29.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.6em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UT-SQ-lxW5I/VCriKiuNtYI/AAAAAAAAKEE/5CG0kqk-XIo/s1600/28-29.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Dad said that! I was like, where is the tiger going? And dad said “He’s going to find Pi.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>Oh my goodness!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And they all groaned at
me! The kids all made horrible noises.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>No, I totally thought that
too! I even called the publisher at one
point and said, “I love the Life of Pi reference.” And they were like…“We don’t know what you
are talking about.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It wasn’t an intentional
reference when I drew it. This was just
something I said <i>RIGHT</i> before we called you.
And the kids all groaned and shook their heads.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> He was making jokes. “Dad Jokes” are not funny jokes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>You guys would get along
with my kids just fine… <i>“My mother is not
funny at all.”</i> And I’m like, “Are
you kidding? I go to schools and I’ve
got 300 kids laughing – everyone thinks I’m funny!” </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Kids:</b> He hee hee ha…</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I have one more question. I noticed that in a lot of your books the
words rhyme. Is there a reason for
that? Is writing in rhyme easier for
you? Or do you just like the way it
sounds?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>I love the way rhyming
sounds. And actually, yes, it is easier
for me to write in rhyme. It gives
structure. I know I want one verse per
spread, so it forces me to write short and to really focus on the important
things in the story. When I’m not
writing in rhyme and can put as many sentences as I want into a paragraph, I
find that I write stories that are 10 times too long. So for me, it’s easier to be a good writer
when I have rules. Probably because I
went to school to be a scientist. I’m
used to following rules and procedures. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> I like rhyming stories
better.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>You can have a lot of fun with rhymes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Well thanks so much for
talking with us!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Yeah thanks!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen: </span>It was very cool to talk
to you guys.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> It was good, it was good,
it was good.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Bye!<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> She gave good answers!</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AITD8dhNTYk/VDKnBgYXzHI/AAAAAAAAKFk/9iJIndQlACQ/s1600/EvieTangled.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AITD8dhNTYk/VDKnBgYXzHI/AAAAAAAAKFk/9iJIndQlACQ/s1600/EvieTangled.gif" height="308" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>jumping tiger, swinging ape</b>; by Evangeline</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mGW2lHr1XPI/VDKnJcpAv6I/AAAAAAAAKFs/TYH2LmT0_pE/s1600/LilyTangled.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mGW2lHr1XPI/VDKnJcpAv6I/AAAAAAAAKFs/TYH2LmT0_pE/s1600/LilyTangled.gif" height="400" width="302" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>sticky orangutans</b>, by Lily</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OkR8dRb5NXc/VDKnKgfoOdI/AAAAAAAAKF0/gr5d0d5yP80/s1600/GraceTangled.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OkR8dRb5NXc/VDKnKgfoOdI/AAAAAAAAKF0/gr5d0d5yP80/s1600/GraceTangled.png" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>the little buddies</b>, by Gracie</i></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: <a href="http://www.sudipta.com/Home.html" target="_blank">Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Illustrator: <a href="http://www.aaronzenz.com/" target="_blank">Aaron Zenz</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Published 2014: <a href="https://www.apub.com/book-detail?asin=B00DH3MP78" target="_blank">Two Lions</a></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1477847170/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1477847170&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=3OHAYUY5W36V4WTN" target="_blank">Here it is!!!</a></span></span><br />
<i><br /></i>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;">T</span>ime for a <b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Giveaway</span></b>! Leave a comment <span style="font-family: inherit;">below about the interview</span> for <span style="font-family: inherit;">the</span> chance to win <span style="font-family: inherit;">2 copies of Orangutan<span style="font-family: inherit;">gled - one for you and one for you to <span style="font-family: inherit;">give to</span> a friend - both signed by author and illustrator. We'll <span style="font-family: inherit;">announce winners at the end of O<span style="font-family: inherit;">c</span>tober... Good luck!</span></span></span></i></span></span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1477847170/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1477847170&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=3OHAYUY5W36V4WTN" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6GBeqblRPug/VCr8bsT9H7I/AAAAAAAAKEo/ZlSMK0jbfzc/s1600/OrangCover.jpg" height="180" width="185" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1477847170/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1477847170&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=3OHAYUY5W36V4WTN" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6GBeqblRPug/VCr8bsT9H7I/AAAAAAAAKEo/ZlSMK0jbfzc/s1600/OrangCover.jpg" height="180" width="185" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A few months ago</span> we <span style="font-family: inherit;">shared <span style="font-family: inherit;">some</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">of our</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span>early favorite 2014 picture books. <span style="font-family: inherit;">T</span></span>he year continues on<span style="font-family: inherit;">!</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">M</span>any more delightful <span style="font-family: inherit;">titles</span> have crossed our path<span style="font-family: inherit;">s<span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></span> Here's <span style="font-family: inherit;">a</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">look at the 2014 favorites<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <span style="font-family: inherit;">that we discovered in the middle of the year. O<span style="font-family: inherit;">ut of <span style="font-family: inherit;">hundreds</span> of <span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">books we've read</span></span>, each kid<span style="font-family: inherit;"> is going to <span style="font-family: inherit;">choose and highlight <span style="font-family: inherit;">a</span> personal favo<span style="font-family: inherit;">rite<span style="font-family: inherit;"> here, all in one post</span>. And to kick things off, for the first time <span style="font-family: inherit;">we've got <span style="font-family: inherit;">our yo<span style="font-family: inherit;">ungest reviewer </span>e<span style="font-family: inherit;">ver, </span>join</span>ing in with <span style="font-family: inherit;">a book she<span style="font-family: inherit;"> adores<span style="font-family: inherit;">:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763671312/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763671312&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=UA4VP23C2KD5EHV7" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7gK6HovUS28/VE5aWvZLuVI/AAAAAAAAKIY/WKotceIEhjI/s1600/gigantos.jpg" width="200" /></a></span>Dad:</span> Alright Maggie! Tell me about your book. <i> </i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>(pointing)</i> Who is this little guy? <span style="font-family: inherit;">Up a</span>t the top, the book says “Jonny Duddle.” Is that little guy’s name Jonny Duddle?<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena (age 3):</span> </span>No!<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> At the bottom it says
“Gigantosaurus.” Is that little guy’s
name Gigantosaurs?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span>No!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Then who is it?<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Bonehead!!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You love Bonehead! What kind of creature is he?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>He’s Bonehead!!!!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> But what kind of animals is
he?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>I don’t know these guys.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Are they squirrels? Raccoons?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Noooo! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Dinosaurs?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Yeah! Little dinosaurs. Kid dinosaurs. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Is Bonehead good or
naughty?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Naughty. There’s his mom. The mommy is sooooo long. But Bonehead is littler.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What does the mama
say? “Watch out for…</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>...Gigantosaurus!” He eats guys!
Ahhhhh!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Is Bonehead scared of
Gigantosaurus?<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>He’s not. Bonehead says
“Gigantosaurus is coming! Watch
out! Run!”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> He was play<span style="font-family: inherit;">ing</span> tricks on his
friends. And are they scared?<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Yeah. That’s not nice. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Then what does Bonehead
say?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>“There was no
Gigantosaurus, you guys!” There was no
stomp. There was no crunch. <i>Heeheehee…</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> But at the end of the
book, who <i>did</i> finally come?<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Gigantosaurus. Uh-oh! Footprints, footprints, he’s right there. There’s his tail...</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do you like Gigantosaurus?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>No. He has a big head. He is grumpy.
I like Bonehead! I like his name. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What would <i>you</i> do if Gigantosaurus was coming?<span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Hide. Behind the couch.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do you think Dad would
keep you safe?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>I think you would play a
trick on me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So, what’s the best thing
about this book?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Bonehead!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And why do you like this
book?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>It’s funny.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What is funny about it?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #bf9000;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Magdalena:</span> </span></span></span></span></span>Bonehead!!!<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763672939/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763672939&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=TTXKKUW4FXXMPKDM" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yiGhkeYCS3E/VE5WqFFnojI/AAAAAAAAKHk/RArjWlYEwEU/s1600/Shhcover1.jpg" width="186" /></a>Dad:</span> Okay Evie, what is your
book called?<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline (age 6):</span> “SHH! We have a plan”</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Are you shushing me?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> <i>(whispering)</i> <i>I’m telling
you the name of the book.</i><i><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <i>(whispering) Oh… do we have to whisper while we review this book?</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> <i>Yes.</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Why do you like this book?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> I like the little
person. The big persons are trying to grab
a bird with a net and stick it in a cage.
But it doesn’t work. The big ones
don’t ever catch it. They fall. And splash. <span style="font-family: inherit;">T</span>hey are like, “Aahhhhhh!” It’s kind of fun. “Aahhhhhhg!” They scare the bird away.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> But the little one says, “Hi
Birdie!”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> The little one always
talks. And the big ones tell her “SHH!” But she knows better than the big ones. The little one gives the bird some bread. Definitely the bread works better. She is the one who gets all the birds. She got a BUNCH -- like “lavishing.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Ohhhh! You are trying out a new a word!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> “Lavishing.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What does that mean?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Lavishing means “a bunch.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> The little one is lavished
with birds.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Yeah.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So, who had the smartest plan? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> The little one, the little
one, the little one.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It’s almost like the
little one wants to be a friend to the bird instead.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> The big ones want to be
friends too, but in a different way. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Oh you think so?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Yeah. The little one is trying to make a friend the
nice way. And the big ones are trying to
make a friend a mean way. They are
trying to catch it with a net.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> If you go out to the
playground and want to make a friend, it’s probably not the best idea to bring
a net.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> No. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Will you be my
friend? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Yes.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do I have to use a net, or
can I just use bread?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> You don’t have to use any
of that stuff.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> But isn’t that the lesson? If you
want to make a friend… use food! You want
fat friends!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> No.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Find hungry friends!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> No. Kindness.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Oh – so kindness is a good
idea?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Yes. And the little one shares.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Kindness and sharing. No sneaking.
No nets. Anything else?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> You could say “Hi” to the new friend. I would probably do this: If you were just
sitting here, I would ask you if you want to play with me. And then we would start playing together.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So communication is best. And that’s what the little one had been
trying! He was trying to use words all
along.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Sometimes you can learn
stuff from little ones.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So, Evie... out of all the
books in the whooooole world, what is your favorite book?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> The owl one. The one where the owl gets lost from his
mommy.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Right, “Little Owl Lost.” And guess what. The same guy made this book! Chris Haughton. Out of all the new 2014 books you had to
choose from, you picked a book by the same guy who wrote your favorite
book. And you didn’t even know <span style="font-family: inherit;">i</span>t. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> I can see it now. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You must like his books,
huh?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> If I could meet him, I
would tell him I love all his books.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=ricky%20ricotta%20pilkey%20santat&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aricky%20ricotta%20pilkey%20santat&tag=bookwoog-20&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=LQ4U3ZUTPPN62FYW" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FFQrTd64QPc/VE5Wr0nlh-I/AAAAAAAAKH4/0C1TEYiS0vA/s1600/ricotta.jpg" width="140" /></a>Dad:</span> Elijah, what books are you
going to tell me about?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age <span style="font-family: inherit;">8</span>):</span> Ricky Ricotta and his
Mighty Robot. There’s this mouse named
Ricky Ricotta. He’s just a normal kid
who goes to school.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> A normal kid?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Well, just a normal <i>mouse</i> kid. He gets bullied
every day. There is a bad rat named Dr.
Stinky who built a robot, but the robot turns nice. Dr. Stinky was like, “Destroy those
squirrels!” but they looked too cute for him... too harmless… I don’t know. The robot just didn’t want to do it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So Ricky becomes the robot’s
new master. But he didn’t create the
robot – he’s not an inventor.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> No. Just a normal mouse kid.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I think the amount of art
in these books is amazing. Really well done,
and there are over 100 pages of it per book.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> There are two versions of
these books.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Okay, tell us about that…</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> In the first version that was made along time
ago, the pictures are just like circles and squares. But the new versions that just came out are
more detailed and have color – a LOT of color, on every page. The art shows a lot of action.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So you like the full-color
illustrations.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Yeah, the illustrator also
did that book “Oh No.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Dan Santat. And he did “Sidekicks.”<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Oh yeah! I can see that now. I like Sidekicks also.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Dav Pilkey wrote these
books.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> And I know that he also
did Captain Underpants. At school we had
to tell our favorite book, and I did Ricky Ricotta<span style="font-family: inherit;"> -</span> of course. We had to write the author’s name, and my
friend Ethan said “That’s the guy who did Captain Underpants!”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So how would you describe
this series?<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> It’s exciting. Ricky and his robot
are always going on adventures, fighting a different villain in every book.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> These aren’t like the
books that we have to <i>make</i> you read
for school.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> These ones are fun - I <i>want</i> to read them. I can’t
WAIT until the next four come out.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You and I have been
reading lots of different books together for a while… </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I really like that.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> But it’s been hard to get
you to read on your <i>own</i>. UNTIL we discovered these books.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Yep!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Then you went crazy. You don’t even wait for me! You raced on without me. These are the books that turned you into a
“Reader.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I’ve been like, “When are
the next ones coming out? When are the
next ones coming out? They look so
cool!” I can’t wait until the new ones
come out.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So who would these be good
books for?<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <i>Haa ha hah ha…</i> And?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Other kids that are like
me.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Kids that…</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> ...like adventures and
fighting and this kind of art. It looks like it’s animated. I can’t believe he drew this. He’s a really good artist.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> The covers look like movie
posters.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I would DEFINITELY watch
if they turned this into a tv show.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1877467537/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1877467537&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=5G3M3WM23475IEII" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cicOnkIOGz8/VE5Yi2aVbII/AAAAAAAAKIE/_cR9DqeABTw/s1600/Toucan-Can.gif" width="160" /></a>Lily (age 11):</span> I like this book.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You’ve picked “Toucan
Can.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I put the words in this
book to a tune.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So the poem must have really
good rhythm to do that.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah, it’s like snapping. <i>(starts singing)</i> <i>“Toucan can do lots of things! Toucan dances! Toucan sings! Toucan bangs a frying pan! Can YOU do what Toucan can?”</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What would you say is the
point of the story?<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It’s just playing with words.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-family: inherit;">Just</span> a fun romp. <span style="font-family: inherit;">F</span>un for your tongue.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>(singing again) “Toucan can do lots of things! Toucan dances! Toucan sings!”
</i>Or we could make it into a Rap.
Ready, Dad, you give a beat.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <i>(makes beat noises)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>(rapping) “Toucan - can do -
lots of things… Toucan dances - Toucan sings”</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Or you could do it like Opera…</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Oh gosh. Let’s do it… <i>“Toucan can dooooOOOOO… Lots of thiiiiiiIIIINGS…”</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What else? Can you sing it Country?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>(twangy) “Tou-can can do-oo lots of thaings… Tou-can dances and tou- can- saings…”</i> There we go.
What else? Rock? You’d basically just scream it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What is your favorite part?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The best part is close to
the end. The words gets REALLY
confusing, and I just like it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Would you call it a tongue
twister?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The end part, yeah. It’s the best: “Aunty Anne and Candy can, and
Aunty Candy’s panda can, with Aunt Amanda’s salamander, Sandy’s goose and
Andy’s gander…” I’ve read this book a
couple times, and I’m really bad at it. <i>(tries
saying it again)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Woo! Now you’re getting it.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> But I can’t do it fast. <i>(tries again faster)</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Now you’re flying! Does it remind you of Dr. Seuss?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I like this better than
Dr. Seuss. I’m not saying Dr. Seuss is
bad. I just like this better.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And the characters have a
lot of personality to them.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah! I like the aunts. <i>Ha ha
ha…</i> The aunts and uncles are, like – what the heck? They are so weird. And look at his face! <i>Ha ha
ha…</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And the book is so
colorful.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah, it has very fun
pictures. I really love all of the
flowers and branches and leaves. They
got a good artist for this book. Let’s
see who the artist is…</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Sarah Davis. And Juliette MacIver wrote it. Two girls.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I could tell.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You could?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The words sound like a
girl’s words. And the flowers look like
a girl painted them.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Really? How would a boy paint flowers?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> A lot different. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Some of the most famous pictures
of flowers have been painted by dudes. <br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I know.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Van Gogh’s sunflowers… Monet’s
gardens…<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> But when you look a
picture of a boy who did a flower and a girl who did a flower, you can tell the
difference.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Maybe <i>you</i> can.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> You can’t, but I can.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> BUT “can <i>Toucan</i> do what YOU can do?”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>Ha ha ha…</i></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592701671/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592701671&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=SNKH3AFKKFRSLOGV" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6-29N_iCA3g/VE5WowIZceI/AAAAAAAAKHQ/R-4nHVPDCRc/s1600/FoxsG.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Gracie, you’ve got “Fox’s
Garden.” What attracted you to this
book?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 14):</span> The storyline is
sweet. The art is epic. The pictures are made out of cut paper, and
WOAH. It must have taken forever to cut
out. I made a shadow box a couple weeks
ago -- it took me hours and hours, and it wasn’t even detailed. So this must have been crazy hard to do.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I love cut paper. I’ve been wanting to try making a cut paper
book for years.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <i>(pointing)</i> Look at
that! Look at how detailed she cuts out
the tiny little things! Oh man!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do you like the images
too, or are you mostly impressed by the materials?<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> If the exact same pictures were painted instead, it would still be cool --
but not AS cool. She does a lot of
things with light and shadow that you couldn’t do otherwise. She illuminates the town so you can see there
is life there. And she casts shadows in
the forest so it looks dark and deserted.
So you know the fox wants to go where there is warmth and life to give
birth and raise her babies. See, I’m
getting all insightful and junk. <i>Ha ha…</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So when she gets to the
town, does it turn out to be warm and inviting?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> No, there’s a mean
dude. And a mean woman. They are kicking her. Poor fox.
Then a boy brings her something in a basket? I’m assuming food.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What does the fox say?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> DON'T. YOU.
Don’t you even bring that song up.
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Well, we’re safe because
the fox doesn’t say anything in this book.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> It’s a wordless book,
which is cool. I feel like words could
have ruined the book. I like wordless
books - they are like silent movies. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And the book is almost
black and white like a silent movie.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Almost. The only things in color in the book are the
fox and the child. And the kid is red
just like the fox.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I think it shows their
connection.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> It wasn’t a very realistic
book though. That kid is going into a
room with a mother fox. That’s not a
good idea. He’s not very smart. If I was the fox, I would attack the child.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Would this have been
better if it was realistic?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <i>Ha hah heh ha… </i>No, because
then there would be kid limbs everywhere.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do you think it would have
been fun or torture to make this book?<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I feel like it could be fun at the beginning… “Aw this could be awesome,
look what I made, yeah!” But I feel like
after cutting out one tree I’d be like, “okay, I’m done with this.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I love the <span style="font-family: inherit;">fact</span> that this little constructed
scene actually exists somewhere in the world. I<span style="font-family: inherit;">f I was able, I</span> could go and look around this 3D paper room.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> It’s like a tiny world. If I spent that much time making little worlds
this intricate, I wouldn’t pitch them.
I’d build another room onto my house just to display them all.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Anything else you like
about this book?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I also love it because I
think foxes are the coolest creature in the whole world. They are elegant. And powerful. It’s an elegant creature that can still fend
for itself.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And they say
“ring-ding-ding-ding…”<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> STOP IT. I said we are NOT going to
bring up that song.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Did you see the name of
the person who made this book?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <i>(reading) </i>Princesse
Camcam? That’s awesome! Oh my gosh.
That’s the best name in the whole world.</span></span><br />
<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pWPezsQHawE/VE-lZlf2DOI/AAAAAAAAKKY/_m5IIlnn734/s1600/MaggieBBonehead.gif" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pWPezsQHawE/VE-lZlf2DOI/AAAAAAAAKKY/_m5IIlnn734/s1600/MaggieBBonehead.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Bonehead and the Gigantosaurus</b>, by Magdalena</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XC0JVBJ0Lm4/VE6oJLVESdI/AAAAAAAAKJY/96vkBRdGcIY/s1600/EvieShh.gif" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XC0JVBJ0Lm4/VE6oJLVESdI/AAAAAAAAKJY/96vkBRdGcIY/s1600/EvieShh.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>little one and bird</b>, by Evangeline</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gdwT0r_eyCM/VE6sGsxqkQI/AAAAAAAAKJk/EGipcclNRPA/s1600/ElijahRicotta.gif" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gdwT0r_eyCM/VE6sGsxqkQI/AAAAAAAAKJk/EGipcclNRPA/s1600/ElijahRicotta.gif" width="233" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Dr. Stinky and Ricky Ricotta</b>, by Elijah</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5XOE0EA3Avo/VE60kS2Pq7I/AAAAAAAAKJ0/-Z20_HGra9A/s1600/LilyToucan.gif" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5XOE0EA3Avo/VE60kS2Pq7I/AAAAAAAAKJ0/-Z20_HGra9A/s1600/LilyToucan.gif" width="311" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Toucan and friends</b>, by Lily</i></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UjxjLwsDY30/VE_kAUZ1UfI/AAAAAAAAKKo/8U6b8gsNYbU/s1600/GraceFox.gif" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UjxjLwsDY30/VE_kAUZ1UfI/AAAAAAAAKKo/8U6b8gsNYbU/s1600/GraceFox.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>child and foxes</b>, by Gracie</i></div>
</div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>And bonus!</b> Here are 5 mo<span style="font-family: inherit;">re fa<span style="font-family: inherit;">vor<span style="font-family: inherit;">ite 2014 titles<span style="font-family: inherit;">:</span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596438665/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1596438665&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=MSGBXEHXS6VF776Z" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d54DAwRCAEM/VE5mASt3odI/AAAAAAAAKI4/q5epfFRp6bI/s1600/JuliasHouse.jpg" width="200" /></a> </span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596438665/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1596438665&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=MSGBXEHXS6VF776Z" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Julia's House for Lost Creatures</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596438665/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1596438665&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=MSGBXEHXS6VF776Z" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">by Ben Hatke</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423137353/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423137353&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=LKHYGA5BS7UT4UYM" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423137353/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423137353&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=LKHYGA5BS7UT4UYM" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NswKGhBUysw/VE5mJvDbgdI/AAAAAAAAKJI/gSXhR8TT6Ws/s1600/gaijin%2Bcover.png" width="156" /></a> </span></span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423137353/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423137353&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=LKHYGA5BS7UT4UYM" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gaijin</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423137353/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423137353&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=LKHYGA5BS7UT4UYM" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">by Matt Faulkner </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1877579548/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1877579548&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=E6CSR2A6JHUMD5CW" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O1CIIlFi2_c/VE5l63X91oI/AAAAAAAAKIo/nqxS-Q3AE2c/s1600/HNight.jpg" width="158" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1877579548/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1877579548&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=E6CSR2A6JHUMD5CW" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Hannah's Night</span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1877579548/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1877579548&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=E6CSR2A6JHUMD5CW" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">by Komako Sakai</span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805099662/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805099662&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=KNEZKHYPISHQVM4I" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G36tyPIRzMQ/VE5mCY806dI/AAAAAAAAKJA/Vamlw69PPoQ/s1600/woolym.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805099662/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805099662&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=KNEZKHYPISHQVM4I" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">How to Wash a Wooly Mammoth</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805099662/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805099662&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=KNEZKHYPISHQVM4I" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">by Michelle Robinson and Kate Hindley </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1561457396/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1561457396&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=7GIMVNTNEWGMALL2" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SQzkblm0wOU/VE5l9O9SaCI/AAAAAAAAKIw/BIhwYvvPQE8/s1600/lostw.jpg" width="199" /></a> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1561457396/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1561457396&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=7GIMVNTNEWGMALL2" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lost for Words</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></a><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1561457396/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1561457396&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=7GIMVNTNEWGMALL2" target="_blank">by Natalie Russell</a> </span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763671312/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763671312&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=UA4VP23C2KD5EHV7" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="85" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7gK6HovUS28/VE5aWvZLuVI/AAAAAAAAKIY/WKotceIEhjI/s1600/gigantos.jpg" width="100" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Gigantosaurus</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Author/<span style="font-family: inherit;">Illustrator: <a href="http://jonnyduddle.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jonny Duddle</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Published, 2014<span style="font-family: inherit;">:</span> <a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=Title&mode=book&isbn=0763671312&pix=n" target="_blank">Templar Books</a> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763671312/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763671312&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=UA4VP23C2KD5EHV7" target="_blank">Here it is</a> </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763672939/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763672939&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=TTXKKUW4FXXMPKDM" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yiGhkeYCS3E/VE5WqFFnojI/AAAAAAAAKHk/RArjWlYEwEU/s1600/Shhcover1.jpg" width="93" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span>Shh! We have a Plan</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Author<span style="font-family: inherit;">/Illustrator <a href="http://www.chrishaughton.com/" target="_blank">Chris Haughton</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Published, 2014<span style="font-family: inherit;">:</span> <a href="http://www.candlewick.com/cat.asp?browse=Title&mode=book&isbn=0763672939&pix=n" target="_blank">Candlewick Press</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763672939/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763672939&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=TTXKKUW4FXXMPKDM" target="_blank">Here it is</a></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=ricky%20ricotta%20pilkey%20santat&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aricky%20ricotta%20pilkey%20santat&tag=bookwoog-20&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=LQ4U3ZUTPPN62FYW" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FFQrTd64QPc/VE5Wr0nlh-I/AAAAAAAAKH4/0C1TEYiS0vA/s1600/ricotta.jpg" width="70" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: <a href="http://www.pilkey.com/book-series/ricky_ricotta" target="_blank">Dav Pilkey</a></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Illustrator: <a href="http://dansantat.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Dan Santat</a></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Published, 2014<span style="font-family: inherit;">:</span> <a href="http://www.scholastic.com/titles/rickyricotta/index.htm" target="_blank">Scholastic</a></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=ricky%20ricotta%20pilkey%20santat&linkCode=ur2&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aricky%20ricotta%20pilkey%20santat&tag=bookwoog-20&url=search-alias%3Daps&linkId=LQ4U3ZUTPPN62FYW" target="_blank">Here they are</a></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1877467537/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1877467537&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=5G3M3WM23475IEII" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cicOnkIOGz8/VE5Yi2aVbII/AAAAAAAAKIE/_cR9DqeABTw/s1600/Toucan-Can.gif" width="80" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span></span></span></span>Toucan <span style="font-family: inherit;">Ca<span style="font-family: inherit;">n</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Juliette-MacIver-Author/509684365718086" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Juliette MacIver</span></a></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Illustrator: <a href="http://sarah-davis.org/blog/2013/5/29/toucan-can" target="_blank">Sarah Davis</a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Published, 2014: <a href="http://www.geckopress.co.nz/ProductDetail.aspx?categoryid=10&productid=415" target="_blank">Gecko Press</a></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1877467537/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1877467537&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=5G3M3WM23475IEII" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">H</span>ere it is</a> </span> </span> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6-29N_iCA3g/VE5WowIZceI/AAAAAAAAKHQ/R-4nHVPDCRc/s1600/FoxsG.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt=" http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592701671/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592701671&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=SNKH3AFKKFRSLOGV" border="0" height="66" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6-29N_iCA3g/VE5WowIZceI/AAAAAAAAKHQ/R-4nHVPDCRc/s1600/FoxsG.jpg" width="100" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fox's Garden</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Author<span style="font-family: inherit;">/</span>Illustrator: <a href="http://cargocollective.com/princessecamcam" target="_blank"> Princesse Camcam</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Published, 2014:<a href="http://www.enchantedlionbooks.com/node/257" target="_blank"> Enchanted Lion</a></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592701671/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592701671&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=SNKH3AFKKFRSLOGV" target="_blank">Here it is </a></span> </span></span></span></div>
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</span></span>Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-88532082991135703572014-06-01T08:05:00.000-04:002014-12-01T11:09:37.494-05:00Reviews #126-130: early Favorites of 2014We’re trying a new approach today!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve read tons of 2014 titles already this year. (Of course there are many more yet to see.) Out of those that have crossed our paths so far in the first half of the year, here are some favorites, all in one post! The kids are each going to pick one of the books to highlight...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419710435/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1419710435&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=G3MH7556WARUVXUB" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.3em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FiAs1lCZEeo/U6HBcG9YM1I/AAAAAAAAJrM/YGEcFjcUWAw/s1600/14jimcurious.jpg" height="240" width="168" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Evie, why don’t you get us started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What is your favorite book of the year so far?<br />
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline (age 6):</span> I like the pictures in this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like how it’s 3D!</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> This is “Jim Curious” by <span class="irc_su" dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;">Matthias Picard. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age 8):</span> Oh my gosh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This book is so cool.</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 15):</span> Dude.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
amazing.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 13):</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Anything we say is not going to do it justice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> I need the goggles. <i>(Puts on the 3D glasses)</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woah, it’s so cool!!!</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So tell everyone what it’s like to read a 3D book…</div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> The glasses make it look like this fish is swimming
towards you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It comes closer to you. The
fish is coming out at my face!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh my
word, can I touch this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to stick
my hand right under the fish… but it’s not working.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 11):</span> Woah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Woah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I keep trying to reach out to grab it.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What is the story about?</div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> It is about “under the sea.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This guy is swimming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The pages have a lot of action. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like a movie.</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It’s a visual spectacle. The art would still be cool even
if it wasn’t 3D.</div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> It looks like you can try to stick your head into the
pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like I can go under this water
and swim with this person and look at this cool stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For real.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>It feels like you shouldn’t be able to turn the pages – because it looks
more like staring into a shadow box than a book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> But when you take the glasses off, it looks plain.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Then when you put the glasses back on...</div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> KAPOW!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Ka-pow! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kapoof!</div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Not kapoof.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only
kapow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kapoof sounds weird.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How would you feel if we ever lost the glasses?</div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> I’d be, like,<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> (voice
trembling)</i> "I want to stick my hand under the fish, but now I can't!"</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I would cry.</div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Only the first half of this book is my favorite
book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end there is an underwater
tornado.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it makes me feel like, "Oh
cwap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This tornado is going to make me
go into it."</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Cwap?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can we say ‘cwap’ on Bookie Woogie?</div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Yeah.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I’ve never heard you say ‘cwap’ before.</div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> "Cwap."</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Now I’ve heard you say it twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s wash your mouth out with some of this
3D water.</div>
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<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> It’s actually not wet.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805096256/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805096256&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=ISIPBWVCBVKCDAT6" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.3em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Tj_O0kyvKE/U6HBcCnFgjI/AAAAAAAAJrI/UqyDV8lLq-Y/s1600/14dinosaurspirin.jpg" height="240" width="187" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Okay Elijah, your turn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What book do you want to share?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age 8):</span> This book is about dinosaurs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> "The Greatest Dinosaur Ever" by <span class="st">Brenda Guiberson and Gennady Spirin.</span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> One of the dinosaurs said it was the fastest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them said it was the biggest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of them said ‘I’ve got armored
plates.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They all thought they were the
best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I don’t know who was right.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How did you do with reading all these dinosaur names?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> <i>Heheheheheh…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>That’s the tricky part.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Why don’t scientists just name dinos things like Bob… and
Ed… and Poofer.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Poofer?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
better than… Leaellynasura.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> <i>All</i> dinosaurs are named weird things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like, Spinosaurus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually that’s the easiest name of all of
them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I saw that guy on Jurassic Park… that was freaky.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>(reading names beneath the pictures)</i> "Oviraptor..." <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gasp</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a chicken-lion-dragon!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You know those chicken-lion-dragon things?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cockatrice!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Maybe that’s where they got the cockatrice myth from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gasp</i>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That makes so much sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> I don’t like dinosaurs. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every night I think about dinosaurs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Every night?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
didn’t know that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At night I
think their heads are going to open and eat me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I do think it would be fun to ride a baby dinosaur.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Elijah, would you like to have a dinosaur for a pet?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> That probably would not be a good idea.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I</i> don’t want
him to have one.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I’d accidentally kill everyone with it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Elijah walks around with a stuffed alligator, beaning
people in the head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine what he
would do with a real live predator at his disposal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would be horrific.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> This book has very detailed art.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The illustrator has a very cool style - you
can still see the pencil beneath the paint.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> This illustrator is one of my favorites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As soon as I saw that he’d been tapped to do
a book about dinosaurs, I thought, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That</i>
is BRILLIANT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why has that never
happened before?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gennady Spirin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dinosaurs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course someone needs to put them together. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s awesome.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(singing to the
tune of a Frozen song) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Gennady and
dinos… they’re both so intense… put them together… it just makes sense!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rat da dat, da da dada da doo...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399257004/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399257004&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=KDY4IAYVZGSSF4GB" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.3em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QyDG48EJBmM/U6HBayLAUjI/AAAAAAAAJq8/GXsBfk8sXWY/s1600/14OliversTree.jpg" height="240" width="214" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Okay, Lily, pick a book!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 11):</span> “Oliver’s Tree.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> By Kit Chase.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>This one is really cute.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Oliver is an elephant, and he was playing with his
friends, a bunny and an owl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oliver saw
his friend in a tree, but he was too big to climb up with her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So they try to find a tree that Oliver can
climb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One had bigger branches, but it
was too high.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One was too small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They found a perfect tree, but when he got in
it, the branch broke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Poor guy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It’s so sad -- he just fell on his face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Oliver sat on a tree stump and went
to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then his friends built a tree
house around him, and when he woke up -- POOF!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A tree house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><b>Kids: </b></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(singing to the
tune of a Frozen song)</i> Do you wanna build a tree house…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I would totally live in a tree house if I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If it was big enough. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And if it
had electricity. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Except for bugs… I
wouldn’t like termites.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do you like climbing trees too?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Oh my gosh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I LOVE
climbing trees. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m just not
good at it unless there’s a low branch to start with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not very tall.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I miss that climbing tree at our old house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember when our neighbor Gina came over,
we would climb it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And we would pretend
we were cheetahs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Okay that part was
weird.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How about the illustrations in this book?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Everything about this book is adorable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really cute.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I have nothing against cute things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People who do are kind of sad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like “cute” -- I’m a happy person.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> I like the owl best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Owls are my favorite animal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I
ever meet the person who made this book, I would like her very much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would want her to draw me 100 owls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would want her to make me a tattoo of an
owl.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375870237/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375870237&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=NSTJOEVPVULWWW6V" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.3em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3X-lRHUpgc/U6HBeWaOTvI/AAAAAAAAJrs/JeAx5tl6Il4/s1600/14sparky.jpg" height="206" width="240" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Gracie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What’s
your favorite book?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 13):</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>“Sparky” by Jenny
Offill and Chris Appelhans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really do like
the storyline a lot, but the pictures – the pictures are so, so cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Everybody likes this book.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Sparky is a
sloth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This girl wants a pet, but her
mom says she has to get one that doesn’t need to be walked or fed or given a
bath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So she was like, “I’ll get a
sloth.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And she seems to love him... even
though he can’t do anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I’d rather have a pet fox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>She tries to play games with him, but he doesn’t
move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sloth is... a dud. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> He’s a very cool looking sloth though.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Kudos, Chris Appelhans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Thumbs up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> He’s kind of weird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He looks weird.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He looks like a
weird koala bear.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Would you want a pet like that?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> No. I feel like he would eat me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> It’s not a very cool pet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Poor Sparky!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I like this book because it has “me” in it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never
thought about it…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess that does look
like you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> She looks like me a LOT.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Yeah… 'cause you have a flat head, and a big dark nose,
and you lay around…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> NOOOOO… the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">GIRL.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ha haha
ha…</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ha ha...</i> oh, the
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">girl,</i> you say?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>The girl is adorable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You can totally see she’s fun and spunky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the sloth just… fails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He doesn’t do anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the
book has no resolution to it at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
end scene is the girl, just sitting, sad in a tree, trying to play tag with a sloth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You think she’s sad?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Her face is turned away from us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I don’t know.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Or is she happy to accept him as he is?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">sloth</i>
looks happy there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>He just ate a cookie, Dad. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ha haa ha hah…</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I don’t know, maybe she’s not sad.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Maybe *she* just needs a cookie.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I guess it’s not really a sad ending.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a bad word to describe it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So what’s a better way?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>It’s kind of like... Life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Oh?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>It is!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can try
to really impress people, but it doesn’t always work out, and sometimes you
just have to accept that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that’s
exactly what happened with the sloth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545639123/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545639123&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=KIDP4AUGA2WHOLWR" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.3em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XqAfKPPB-QU/U6HBcnPPqFI/AAAAAAAAJrY/nZMpNWKx8dE/s1600/14rules-of-summer.jpg" height="228" width="240" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Alright, Isaac.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Give us another one.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 15):</span> “Rules of Summer.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Oh, we love Shaun Tan.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I like Shaun Tan’s work a lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything he does is cool. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could do realistic work, but he chooses to
make it crazy, just for fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I like
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m attracted to the randomness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What’s the book about?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It’s about these two brothers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little boy is probably the main
character, but they are both very important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It takes place in this crazy world where anything happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I was like, “What is happening?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what is going on.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Like, where the heck did they get a
steamboat-rocketship-car-thing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And a
giant red rabbit?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> That is a humungous bunny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> There are random rules set to the awesome pictures. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> So, don’t leave a red sock on a clothesline… or a giant
red rabbit will magically appear?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> See, it’s a good thing you read it here first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t want to learn that rule the hard
way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I want to go to that park with the magic glowing trees.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> My favorite picture is the kids standing on these water
tower things with really long nets, and they are trying to catch the stars in a
meteor shower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> They look like sky jellyfish!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> The pictures seem random, but by the end they tell a
story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And what do you think the story is?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> The little boy is making lots of mistakes...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> He drops all the stuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t like how he disobeys all the rules in this book!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> He feels sad about it, the brothers get in a fight, the
little boy get's trapped and goes away, his brother comes along with bolt cutters and saves him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they are happy and it all resolves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Did you notice the crows?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I read this book a ton of times before I noticed the crow on each page.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I did notice actually. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t realize it was on every page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I noticed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At first I thought they were representing “anger.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now I’m not sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s more “sad.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like an angry… sad... remorse-ish
feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A down-low feeling.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Here’s my thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think they represent memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The kid screws up and a crow is watching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kid screws up and a crow is
watching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over and over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> But why are there lots of crow at the end then?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Because each time it’s a different crow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And all the memories are building. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crows are keeping track, keeping record of
all the mistakes, like "strikes," building up, and there’s this big weight of guilt growing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And eventually it destroys their relationship
-- it separates them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s swarmed by
all the negatives he’s done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the
brother comes along and forgives him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Forgiveness sets him free.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
after that, there’s no more crows.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Guys… pick up your feet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s getting deep in here.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Gracie, I’m never fighting with you again!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So think of someone in the family you might have problems
with… What if you keep score and let disapproval build and build?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Then you’re just going to have a house full of crows.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> All that guilt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And what fixes it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Bolt cutters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Which represented…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Bolt cutters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Or…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Forgiveness!!!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
get angry at people, but it only lasts like 5 seconds.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So you are very quick to pull out the bolt cutters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Forgiveness is wonderful.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> You need to let it go.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i>Gracie and Lily</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><b>:</b> (singing to
the tune of the Frozen song)</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let it
go… let it go… Getting rid of all my crows!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Let it go…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let it go… Let
forgiveness grow…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Now everyone is going to have that tune stuck in their
head.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Good golly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
whole post has turned into a Frozen sing-along.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jgw40mTto8Y/U6lou0v3kKI/AAAAAAAAJuI/zhWp3qMfrfU/s1600/EvieCurious.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jgw40mTto8Y/U6lou0v3kKI/AAAAAAAAJuI/zhWp3qMfrfU/s1600/EvieCurious.gif" height="320" width="242" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Jim Curious under the sea</b>, by Evangeline</i> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vNvE8QaBPTQ/U6hqinDDXWI/AAAAAAAAJsI/A7XrOnqBcpY/s1600/ElijahGreatest.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vNvE8QaBPTQ/U6hqinDDXWI/AAAAAAAAJsI/A7XrOnqBcpY/s1600/ElijahGreatest.gif" height="264" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><b>spinosaurus</b>, by Elijah </i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qYlNTCmv4qA/U6hqjMlHqbI/AAAAAAAAJsU/7jhq1oQDbX4/s1600/LilyOliver.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qYlNTCmv4qA/U6hqjMlHqbI/AAAAAAAAJsU/7jhq1oQDbX4/s1600/LilyOliver.gif" height="312" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><b>Oliver finds a new friend</b>, by Lily</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vP0rhLgeYKY/U6hqiXE6rvI/AAAAAAAAJsE/Iawu1e3a8Tc/s1600/GraceSparky.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vP0rhLgeYKY/U6hqiXE6rvI/AAAAAAAAJsE/Iawu1e3a8Tc/s1600/GraceSparky.gif" height="760" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><b>come, Sparky</b>, by Gracie</i> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EdYfPGxTXTI/U6hqh_QVlNI/AAAAAAAAJr8/nkduOL5_zfQ/s1600/IsaacSummer.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EdYfPGxTXTI/U6hqh_QVlNI/AAAAAAAAJr8/nkduOL5_zfQ/s1600/IsaacSummer.gif" height="286" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><b>catching meteors</b>, by Isaac</i> </div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>And bonus! </b> Here are five more favorite 2014 titles:</span><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316199982/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316199982&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QO3FB4DFD6CRFDMD" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316199982/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316199982&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QO3FB4DFD6CRFDMD" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aaNT1FMZb-I/U6HBZBRMo5I/AAAAAAAAJqs/U5I8ebpe8Ug/s1600/14Beekle.jpg" height="240" width="187" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316199982/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316199982&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QO3FB4DFD6CRFDMD" target="_blank">The Adventures of Beekle</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316199982/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316199982&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=QO3FB4DFD6CRFDMD" target="_blank">by Dan Santat</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442458801/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442458801&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=LHXM35V2QPERV6BE" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442458801/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442458801&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=LHXM35V2QPERV6BE" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0bZgBSPVxgY/U6HBc9da_DI/AAAAAAAAJrg/JBNqwXeCnG4/s1600/14somebugs.jpg" height="240" width="186" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442458801/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442458801&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=LHXM35V2QPERV6BE" target="_blank">Some Bugs</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442458801/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442458801&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=LHXM35V2QPERV6BE" target="_blank">by Angela DiTerlizzi and Brendan Wenzel</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735841675/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0735841675&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=XXG7OBPX3V5SAAST" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735841675/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0735841675&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=XXG7OBPX3V5SAAST" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1R4SBthgOwQ/U6HBX179thI/AAAAAAAAJqk/nzWW9GUco3Y/s1600/14Lindberg.jpg" height="240" width="186" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735841675/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0735841675&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=XXG7OBPX3V5SAAST" target="_blank">Lindberg: the Tale of a Flying Mouse</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735841675/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0735841675&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=XXG7OBPX3V5SAAST" target="_blank">by Torben Kuhlmann</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544045491/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0544045491&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=YNPUQN6X5655LE5N" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544045491/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0544045491&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=YNPUQN6X5655LE5N" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xZbn0YRA-ew/U6HBZoMbpdI/AAAAAAAAJqw/c8Z-KCXlt-0/s1600/14bubble.jpg" height="219" width="240" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544045491/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0544045491&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=YNPUQN6X5655LE5N" target="_blank">Big Bad Bubble</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0544045491/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0544045491&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=YNPUQN6X5655LE5N" target="_blank">by <span class="st">Adam Rubin and Daniel Salmieri</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1626721033/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1626721033&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=PG6BCPBJA656SAHI" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1626721033/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1626721033&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=PG6BCPBJA656SAHI" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NK7NthMCsZM/U6HBb0BRDoI/AAAAAAAAJrE/T7uZ-I4I98s/s1600/14glorkian-warrior.jpg" height="240" width="179" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1626721033/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1626721033&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=PG6BCPBJA656SAHI" target="_blank">The Glorkian Warrior Delivers a Pizza</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1626721033/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1626721033&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=PG6BCPBJA656SAHI" target="_blank">by James Kochalka</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xZbn0YRA-ew/U6HBZoMbpdI/AAAAAAAAJqw/c8Z-KCXlt-0/s1600/14bubble.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419710435/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1419710435&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=G3MH7556WARUVXUB" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FiAs1lCZEeo/U6HBcG9YM1I/AAAAAAAAJrM/YGEcFjcUWAw/s1600/14jimcurious.jpg" height="100" width="70" /></a>Jim Curious<br />
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://www.matthiaspicard.com/index.php?/projets/jim-curious/" target="_blank">Matthias Picard</a><br />
<span class="author notFaded" data-width="">
<span class="contribution">
<span class="a-color-secondary">Published, 2014: <a href="http://www.abramsbooks.com/Books/Jim_Curious-9781419710438.html" target="_blank">Abrams Books</a></span></span></span><br />
<span class="author notFaded" data-width=""><span class="contribution"><span class="a-color-secondary">Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419710435/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1419710435&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=G3MH7556WARUVXUB" target="_blank">Here it is!</a></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805096256/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805096256&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=ISIPBWVCBVKCDAT6" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Tj_O0kyvKE/U6HBcCnFgjI/AAAAAAAAJrI/UqyDV8lLq-Y/s1600/14dinosaurspirin.jpg" height="100" width="77" /></a>The Greatest Dinosaur Ever<br />
Author: <a href="http://www.brendazguiberson.com/" target="_blank"><span class="st">Brenda Z. Guiberson </span></a><br />
<span class="st">Illustrator: <a href="http://gennadyspirin.com/" target="_blank">Gennady Spirin</a></span><br />
<span class="st">Published, <strike>2014</strike> (oops! 2013): <a href="http://us.macmillan.com/thegreatestdinosaurever/BrendaGuiberson" target="_blank">Henry Holt</a></span><br />
<span class="st">Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805096256/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805096256&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=ISIPBWVCBVKCDAT6" target="_blank">Here it is!</a> </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399257004/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399257004&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=KDY4IAYVZGSSF4GB" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QyDG48EJBmM/U6HBayLAUjI/AAAAAAAAJq8/GXsBfk8sXWY/s1600/14OliversTree.jpg" height="100" width="89" /></a>Oliver's Tree<br />
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://www.trafalgarssquare.com/" target="_blank">Kit Chase</a><br />
Published, 2014: <a href="http://www.penguin.com/book/olivers-tree-by-kit-chase/9780399257001" target="_blank">Putnam</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399257004/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399257004&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=KDY4IAYVZGSSF4GB" target="_blank">Here it is!</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375870237/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375870237&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=NSTJOEVPVULWWW6V" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y3X-lRHUpgc/U6HBeWaOTvI/AAAAAAAAJrs/JeAx5tl6Il4/s1600/14sparky.jpg" height="86" width="100" /></a>Sparky <br />
Author: <a href="http://jennyoffill.com/#childrensBooks" target="_blank">JennyOffill</a><br />
Illustrator: <a href="http://www.froghatstudios.com/" target="_blank">Chris Appelhans</a><br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Published, 2014: </span><a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/214231/sparky-by-jenny-offill" target="_blank">Schwartz & Wade</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375870237/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375870237&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=NSTJOEVPVULWWW6V" target="_blank">Here it is!</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545639123/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545639123&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=KIDP4AUGA2WHOLWR" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XqAfKPPB-QU/U6HBcnPPqFI/AAAAAAAAJrY/nZMpNWKx8dE/s1600/14rules-of-summer.jpg" height="96" width="100" /></a>Rules of Summer<br />
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://www.shauntan.net/" target="_blank">Shuan Tan</a><br />
Published, 2014: <a href="http://www.arthuralevinebooks.com/book.asp?bookid=247" target="_blank">Arthur Levine Books</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545639123/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545639123&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=KIDP4AUGA2WHOLWR" target="_blank">Here it is!</a><br />
<br /></div>
Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-1539514410725584042014-05-12T08:00:00.000-04:002014-11-13T09:03:46.988-05:00Interview #18: John Hendrix<i><i><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5CqBI2uJ6DE/U2lBojoICjI/AAAAAAAAJm8/KLddE_J0zDI/s1600/JohnBrown.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5CqBI2uJ6DE/U2lBojoICjI/AAAAAAAAJm8/KLddE_J0zDI/s1600/JohnBrown.jpg" height="118" width="92" /></a></i> </i><i><i><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-POUQoykvTwc/U2lA9-HT9_I/AAAAAAAAJmg/6Zg-FB91fsY/s1600/SarahEdmonds.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-POUQoykvTwc/U2lA9-HT9_I/AAAAAAAAJmg/6Zg-FB91fsY/s1600/SarahEdmonds.jpg" height="118" width="89" /></a></i> </i><i><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xuj87HWtuHk/U2lA5Zh8c9I/AAAAAAAAJmU/mAMxGPJEVSA/s1600/RutherfordB.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xuj87HWtuHk/U2lA5Zh8c9I/AAAAAAAAJmU/mAMxGPJEVSA/s1600/RutherfordB.jpg" height="118" width="86" /></a> </i><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R7pu5YxbXOM/U2lA4bW2w-I/AAAAAAAAJmE/Ho9CiPSwJZU/s1600/John+Hendrix+Dickens.jpg" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-R7pu5YxbXOM/U2lA4bW2w-I/AAAAAAAAJmE/Ho9CiPSwJZU/s1600/John+Hendrix+Dickens.jpg" height="118" width="87" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7FW5A70-png/U2patCcoxvI/AAAAAAAAJnM/NPtaUXVwlGw/s1600/HendrixGracie.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7FW5A70-png/U2patCcoxvI/AAAAAAAAJnM/NPtaUXVwlGw/s1600/HendrixGracie.gif" height="318" width="218" /></a></div>
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<i>Our family loves the books and art of John Hendrix. His work involves a fun use of lettering which the kids and I all love. Isaac in particular has enjoyed drawing with pen and ink lately and has been looking closely at John's illustrations for inspiration. And we enjoy the times John posts online the drawings he makes in church! We were thrilled when John took some time to Skype with us to talk about his work, and we're happy to share that conversation with you now! Thanks, John Hendrix! (portrait by Gracie)</i><br />
<i></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Alright, we have all five of the picture books John
Hendrix has illustrated here in front of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 13):</span> His books are incredible.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 15):</span> I really like his style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I really enjoy doing inking and watercolor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been looking at his artwork and trying
out his style.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Which of these books shall we review?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 11):</span> Abe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abraham.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like it the best.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uTYD7fZ9c-Y/U2lBBM42JPI/AAAAAAAAJm4/kdllxdfOht4/s1600/abelincoln2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You like Abe
Lincoln Crosses a Creek?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uTYD7fZ9c-Y/U2lBBM42JPI/AAAAAAAAJm4/kdllxdfOht4/s1600/abelincoln2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uTYD7fZ9c-Y/U2lBBM42JPI/AAAAAAAAJm4/kdllxdfOht4/s1600/abelincoln2.jpg" height="164" width="200" /></a>Gracie:</span> That one is funny.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It is a story from a long time ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a real thing that happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before Abraham Lincoln became all famous and
stuff, when he was a kid he fell into a creek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And his friend Austin pulled him out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because Austin did that, we had a president.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he hadn’t, we would have a different
history.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It’s about Abraham Lincoln crossing a creek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that’s it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you might think, well that’s not a very
creative book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the story is cool
because it accomplishes two things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
telling a historical story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it also
tells HOW to tell a historical story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I like that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Like, sometimes you get to make up some of the details.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Yeah, an author doesn’t know every single thing about
what happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as long as the detail
isn’t crucial to the story, you get to make that up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Abe falls into the creek the author
says, “Austin pulls him out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But we
don’t know how.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could have grabbed a
branch… or a fishing pole… or pulled on his shirttail…”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> “We don’t really know how, but we can just make that part
up.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> And it’s cool because the author puts herself and the
illustrator into the story as characters too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> John Hendrix showed himself as a character because he put
his hand in the illustrations, drawing the illustrations.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;"><i><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HwD2bXYNQ8Q/U2lAw4i83RI/AAAAAAAAJlQ/JVq-Abuz6No/s1600/07.ABE-opening2.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HwD2bXYNQ8Q/U2lAw4i83RI/AAAAAAAAJlQ/JVq-Abuz6No/s1600/07.ABE-opening2.jpg" height="266" width="320" /></a></i>Gracie:</span> He paints his own hand into the picture, painting the
picture.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What else do you like about his artwork?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> His paintings are very detailed.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The grass. Every single piece of grass is drawn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every piece.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And even everything in
the background is detailed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every single
leaf on the trees.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> And he’s very good at lettering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> The lettering is pretty epic.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> He intertwines the letters with his artwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are put together, mixed together.<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LaKYoMWpa5I/U2lAwSarjJI/AAAAAAAAJlI/KQ35rixw3DY/s1600/9780375937682-AbeLincolnCrosses2_zoom.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LaKYoMWpa5I/U2lAwSarjJI/AAAAAAAAJlI/KQ35rixw3DY/s1600/9780375937682-AbeLincolnCrosses2_zoom.jpg" height="163" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LaKYoMWpa5I/U2lAwSarjJI/AAAAAAAAJlI/KQ35rixw3DY/s1600/9780375937682-AbeLincolnCrosses2_zoom.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"></a><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> The lettering looks like a part of the picture.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> There is a lot of variety in them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some letters are wavy, some are stiff, some
are blocky.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> They are all different fonts and colors. And they are all
handmade letters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> He’s the master of lettering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any last
words about his book?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I HAVE WORDS!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">HA ha ha hahh hah
hah!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> She’s been trying to get it out this whole time!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> She’s been sitting in the corner, and she kept trying to
say stuff, but either Isaac or I would talk.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ha ha ha!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Give me your words, Lil.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> My words are:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
likey, likey.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>And now for our interview with John Hendrix!</i></div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Hello???<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Hello!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It’s nice to meet you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>It’s nice to meet you as well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Thank you for taking the time to chat with us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We love your books!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Thanks – that’s so nice.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Who has a question for us?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Why do you like putting lettering in the middle of your
pictures?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMLoIB-xT-k/U2lA2ww_YnI/AAAAAAAAJlw/JOEoDFbgLj4/s1600/GeorgeWash.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LMLoIB-xT-k/U2lA2ww_YnI/AAAAAAAAJlw/JOEoDFbgLj4/s1600/GeorgeWash.jpg" height="320" width="251" /></a>Gracie:</span> It’s so cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like, in the book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423171004/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423171004&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=XKH2WZQKNJMEEB25" target="_blank">"Rutherford B. Who Was He"</a> your picture of George Washington has words behind him, words in front of
him, a scroll going through his legs with words on it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>I love
letters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love letterforms and
typography.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like drawing words that
act like pictures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or putting them
inside the same space so the characters almost encounter them like a new
object.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It’s almost like the lettering is another character itself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fXond3e0A-s/U2lA_MQYnZI/AAAAAAAAJmo/yYA2SJ0Ff6M/s1600/TeddyRoos.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fXond3e0A-s/U2lA_MQYnZI/AAAAAAAAJmo/yYA2SJ0Ff6M/s1600/TeddyRoos.jpg" height="200" width="212" /></a></span>John Hendrix: </span>Illustration, to me, is about words and images working
together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So if you put them into the
same space, they do stuff that’s really fun and interesting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Usually if you put words and images in a book
together, people will read the words first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s just the way we’re built as people when we read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I like putting words into pictures in
such a way that you read them second.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or
third.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Changing the order or the
hierarchy with which we view an image is very exciting to me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> When I try to do things with lettering, I have to keep
drawing over and over again because it never looks right. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is your process of making the letters and
deciding how they look?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Yeah, drawing letters is just like drawing anything
else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They act no different than a
teapot on a table – they have structure to them, and you have to practice
drawing them just the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would
recommend getting a book that shows you a type sample – or a type specimen is
what they are called – where it shows you every letter of the alphabet in that
typeface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then just practice drawing
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of my letters look like the
typeface called Clarendon because I practiced drawing it for years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went to school for both design and
illustration, so I spent a lot of time looking at letters and tracing them and
making my own letterforms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now it comes
very naturally to me. But only because I practiced so much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not because I had a special talent for
letters.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Do you look at books now when you are trying to get
inspiration for letters?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is there
something you go to?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-INx6fp4Hlrw/U2lA5yH8SzI/AAAAAAAAJmY/Sq5Rw0suDPE/s1600/SarahEd.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-INx6fp4Hlrw/U2lA5yH8SzI/AAAAAAAAJmY/Sq5Rw0suDPE/s1600/SarahEd.jpg" height="196" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;"></span>John Hendrix: </span>With the Sarah
Edmonds book, I looked at all the broadside posters from the Civil War to get
type reference from those really chunky gothic letterforms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most every time I start by looking at type
really closely and being inspired by what’s out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I’ve also drawn enough type by now
that I can invent my own, or I can go to type that I’ve used before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Since most of your books are historical, I was wondering
what kind of process you go through with your research?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is it hard?</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Research and drawing are hard in different ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are also fun in different ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first part of research is when I do the
writing -- like when I wrote about John Brown, I had to do a lot of reading
about him before I could form my opinions. The next part of research is the
REALLY fun part – the visual research – where I needed to find the uniforms and
what the rifles looked like and what Harpers Ferry looked like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right now I’m writing about the Christmas
Truce of WWI.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I make these huge
notebooks… let me grab one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I make a
book like this – here’s one of my character sheets where I can figure out what
this soldier looks like.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Woah…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cool…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>And here are pages of uniforms and what the troops looked
like in the trenches</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Cool – very cool.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>It’s a notebook that I use repeatedly throughout the
course of the project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes it a lot
easier if I create something like that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Where do you find all those pictures?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>I actually go to real libraries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t just search online.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The internet is a great resource of
course.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it's an advantage if you can find
great books where the photos have not made it online yet.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ycrbho4kBNc/U2lA4Ay8PSI/AAAAAAAAJmA/umTrXt1NP3Q/s1600/JB_tubman.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.6em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ycrbho4kBNc/U2lA4Ay8PSI/AAAAAAAAJmA/umTrXt1NP3Q/s1600/JB_tubman.jpg" height="181" width="290" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> So you said you think research is fun?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Oh yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Research
is really just learning about something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Honestly, there is a nerdy part of me that loves getting all that detail
through the research.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other day I
was drawing a second lieutenant’s uniform and I had to find out what their
armbands looked like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I found this
awesome thing on the internet which showed me all the different cuff sleeves
for the different ranks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My favorite
part of making books is probably creating the images – the composing and the
drawing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But when you are drawing a guy,
it's also fun to feel like, “Oh yeah, I got that totally right.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Is there a certain point during research where you call
it quits though?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could research
every tiny detail, but at some point you have to move on to get the thing done…</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Yeah, on some level the research is really there for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I don’t ever want the details to distract or to become a hindrance to
the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story is the most
important thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People are reading the
book for the larger narrative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I
want to feel satisfied that I’ve done my best to recreate the scene.</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Have you ever made a mistake?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like, you drew something and later realized
it was really wrong?</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>This is sort of related… It’s not a research problem, but
it was definitely an issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Abe Lincoln
Crosses a Creek was my first book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After it came out I was
doing a reading, and a kid there said that in one of the images a character had
six toes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I could not believe
it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But sure enough, in one of the
pictures Austin had too many toes.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Oh my goodness - I want to see it!</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Now I’ve ruined the book for you.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It’s nice to know there are little toe-counters out in
the world.</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>That’s why they have continuity editors that count things
like the number of buttons on Austin’s shirt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had to go through and make sure I got it the same every time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because there are kids out there that will
count the buttons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the toes.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> When you were a kid, did you draw the same kinds of
things as you do now?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or did you draw
something different.</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>I have a
sketchbook I take with me to meetings or bring along when I know I’m going to be
listening to someone speak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the
stuff I draw in my sketchbook for fun is very much like the stuff I drew when I
was a kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Robots and knights and ray
guns and explosions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fun, fun things --
I just enjoy the act of drawing them.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Okay, so we saw on your website that you <a href="http://johnhendrix.blogspot.com/search?q=church&updated-max=2011-10-04T12:43:00-07:00&max-results=20&start=20&by-date=true" target="_blank">draw a lot in church.</a></div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Uh-huh, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ha ha…</i></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sIzRQhjUtp8/U2lBA84iqUI/AAAAAAAAJm0/S1TE4aTn0tY/s1600/TurnerHendrix.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0.6em; margin-top: 0.7em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sIzRQhjUtp8/U2lBA84iqUI/AAAAAAAAJm0/S1TE4aTn0tY/s1600/TurnerHendrix.jpg" height="180" width="290" /></a></span>Gracie:</span> I draw<br />
a ton in church too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It helps me concentrate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
But when
I was in Sunday School, some of my teachers would get really annoyed because
they thought I wasn’t paying attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Did anything like that ever happen to you?<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And really, she was just taking picture-notes of the lessons.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I was taking picture-notes!</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>And they didn’t believe you…</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Nope.</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>This is a common problem I’ve had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually a lot of people are visual learners
or visual thinkers – I certainly am the same way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I’m in a lecture, I listen much better if
my hand is active.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I know, me too!</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Or it helps me remember things better if I make pictures
out of what I’m listening to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that
can come off to others as being distracted or bored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you just have to be okay with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You may just learn visually and need pictures
to help you store and categorize information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So that’s not a problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just
need to be polite about it and say, “Oh, no – I’m really paying attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, here, look at this amazing drawing I
have of the thing you were just saying.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<i><b>Kids: </b>ha ha ha…</i></div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>But listen, it’s happened to me ever since I was a
kid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In math class I would be drawing
just out of sheer survival to stay awake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But drawing does not look like a very supportive activity during a math
class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Church, though, is a <i>great</i> place
to draw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is so much raw visual
material in the Bible.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Yeah, during our Family Devotions, we draw pictures of
the lessons.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> We can show you our sketchbooks.</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>I’d love to see them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(The kids start showing pages... <i><a href="http://isaacgracelily.blogspot.com/2014/04/family-devotion-sketchbooks_29.html" target="_blank">You can see some too: here</a></i>)</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> We started this probably a year and half ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got everybody sketchbooks for family
devotion time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And rather than taking
notes, everyone tries to come up with a visual representation to help us
remember the passage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are fun to
keep – and it’s easy to flip back through them and quickly recall the lessons
we’ve had.</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Ha ha, those are awesome – that’s great!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like doing that too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll flip back through my sketchbooks and
remember things very vividly because there are pictures associated with them,
things that I would have forgotten otherwise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So yeah – that’s awesome.</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Does your faith affect your work at all? </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jGnFwXgkGDE/U2lA1nI6rJI/AAAAAAAAJlo/RJATm3nP0Rs/s1600/FollowMeHendrix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jGnFwXgkGDE/U2lA1nI6rJI/AAAAAAAAJlo/RJATm3nP0Rs/s1600/FollowMeHendrix.jpg" height="184" width="290" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think if
you have any belief system, and it doesn’t affect your work, that’s a
problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If your beliefs are something you compartmentalize into one place, and they don’t affect anything else, they’re
probably not that serious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So my faith
is something that I take with me wherever I go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The biggest way it affects my work is in interpersonal interactions with
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way I behave when I talk
with people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How I present myself when
I’m with people in a professional context.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Occasionally it will mean turning down projects that I don’t think are
great or that I don’t want my name associated with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And of course it also impacts the kinds of
projects I <i>do</i> choose to work on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Actually, I sold a book to Abrams which will be out in April 2016… which
seems forever away…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Yep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Slow -- </span>that’s the
publishing world... </div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Yeah, it’s good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> But anyway, this</span> book I sold to Abrams is about the miracles of Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> That’s cool.</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>The book follows Jesus’ life around and we see Him
through the things He did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So even the
projects I choose have something to do with faith.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> We’ll eagerly be waiting for that book too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I think that’s all the questions the
kids had prepared.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks for the
conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We like your work a lot!</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Yes, Thank-you!</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Thank-you!</div>
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<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">John Hendrix: </span>Thanks so much guys! I hope to talk to you again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Bye-bye.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> He’s nice.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I like that guy.<br />
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JjHqCbmfTrQ/U2p5N0MS7GI/AAAAAAAAJng/3M0twOCnowE/s1600/IsaacAbe.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JjHqCbmfTrQ/U2p5N0MS7GI/AAAAAAAAJng/3M0twOCnowE/s1600/IsaacAbe.gif" height="320" width="250" /></a></div>
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<i><b>crossing the creek</b>, by Isaac</i></div>
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>ALACK!</b> by Gracie </i></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yu77XLUzpYU/U2p5Ow3BdzI/AAAAAAAAJns/JTuHF7Xopak/s1600/LilyAbe.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yu77XLUzpYU/U2p5Ow3BdzI/AAAAAAAAJns/JTuHF7Xopak/s1600/LilyAbe.gif" height="246" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>on the other side</b>, by Lily</i></div>
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Illustrator: <a href="http://www.johnhendrix.com/" target="_blank">John Hendrix</a><br />
Author of "Abe Lincoln Crosses a Creek": <a href="http://www.deborahhopkinson.com/" target="_blank">Deborah Hopkinson</a><br />
Published, 2008: <a href="http://www.randomhousekids.com/books/detail/82709-abe-lincoln-crosses-a-creek?isbn=9780375837685#.U2pK3sdbsy4" target="_blank">Schwartz & Wade</a></div>
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Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/037583768X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=037583768X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20&linkId=LC57ILH2QLUJYGMX%22" target="_blank">Here it is</a><br />
<br />
You can flip through 7 of John Hendrix's "Drawing in Church" sketchbooks: <a href="http://johnhendrix.com/portfolio/sketchbook/Church6/" target="_blank"><i>HERE</i></a></div>
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You can see some of the Z-Kids' Family Devotions sketchbooks: <a href="http://isaacgracelily.blogspot.com/2014/04/family-devotion-sketchbooks_29.html" target="_blank"><i>HERE</i></a><br />
You can see some of Z-Dad's Family Devotions sketchbook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10201352575409761.1073741829.1634855723&type=1&l=31ae5559b4" target="_blank"><i>HERE</i></a></div>
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Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-14672146463744029732014-01-10T08:00:00.000-05:002016-02-19T16:33:35.905-05:00Review #125: Charlotte's Web<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OiIlbyvQVoA/Us7vAsm2Y3I/AAAAAAAAJgE/mMAVU9_63eY/s1600/Charlotte%27s.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OiIlbyvQVoA/Us7vAsm2Y3I/AAAAAAAAJgE/mMAVU9_63eY/s1600/Charlotte's.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The 3rd Annual 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is coming soon! We attended the <a href="http://jameskennedy.com/2013/02/18/recap-chicago-screening-of-the-2nd-annual-90-second-newbery-film-festival/" target="_blank">screening in Chicago</a> last year and it was tons of fun! Don't know what the 90-Second Newbery is? I'll put some links at the bottom of this post. But in the meantime...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">For our entry this year, we decided to tackle one of the <a href="http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2012/07/07/top-100-chapter-book-poll-results/" target="_blank">most highly favored</a> novels in Children's Literature. Charlotte's Web won a Newbery Honor in 1952. Ten years later, Spider-Man made <i>his</i> first appearance. Hey... why not bring the two legendary spiders together? Why not re-imagine the "Charlotte" characters as costumed heroes and villains in the opening credits of an imaginary tv show? Okay! Let's do it! </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We're proud to present our Charlotte's Web / Spider-Man / Mashup Video:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/83801665?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="400"></iframe><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">And for an actual 'review' of the book, here are the lyrics to our song:</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charlotte’s web</span>, Charlotte’s web</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Making miracles with her thread<br />
She spins a web that brings surprise<br />
With her words she saves lives<br />
Look Out! <br />
Here comes Charlotte’s web</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
See that pig in the mud?<br />
He will faint at the thought of blood<br />
Will our Wilbur soon be dead?<br />
Just take a look overhead<br />
See there:<br />
There’s hope in Charlotte’s web</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">From the farm</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> to the fair</span></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Meeting animals everywhere</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He could get eaten any day</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Danger’s never far away</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That’s why</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He needs Charlotte’s web<br />
<br />
In the chill of night<br />
With her own special twine<br />
She in secret writes<br />
To save the life of a swine<br />
<br />
Charlotte’s web</span>, Charlotte’s web</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
Friendly, generous, lots of legs<br />
The pig gets fame<br />
While she’s ignored<br />
Making friends is her reward<br />
<br />
So pigs, whenever you are shakin’<br />
She’ll come and save your bacon<br />
Look out for Charlotte’s web! </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OiIlbyvQVoA/Us7vAsm2Y3I/AAAAAAAAJgE/mMAVU9_63eY/s1600/Charlotte%27s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">To see all four of our own Newbery Videos, click <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/search/label/Video%20Review" target="_blank">here</a>...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To learn more about the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival, click <a href="http://jameskennedy.com/90-second-newbery/" target="_blank">here</a>...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To see the best of the 90-Second Newbery videos, click <a href="http://jameskennedy.com/2013/07/04/the-25-most-popular-90-second-newbery-videos-so-far/" target="_blank">here</a>...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Author: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E._B._White" target="_blank">E.B. White</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Illustrator: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garth_Williams" target="_blank">Garth Williams</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Published, 1952: <a href="http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/HarperChildrens/kids/gamesandcontests/features/charlottesweb/default.aspx" target="_blank">HarperCollins</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Want the book? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061124958/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061124958&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Here it is</a></span><br />
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Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-11338896357292498992013-12-16T09:15:00.002-05:002014-03-25T17:23:52.487-04:00Favorite Books of 2013Out of the hundreds and hundreds of books that have crossed our path this last year, here are our favorite titles from 2013!<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763660531/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763660531&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763660531/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763660531&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K2VSaUzICzU/Uq75af6ksjI/AAAAAAAAJfc/znek15vTxLQ/s200/journeybecker.jpg" width="200" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763660531/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763660531&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Journey</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763660531/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763660531&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Aaron Becker</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316200638/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316200638&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316200638/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316200638&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gOaRLsH_Exg/Uq741XYM5dI/AAAAAAAAJd0/S0jYTkHIi0s/s200/Mr.Tiger_.jpg" width="198" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316200638/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316200638&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Mr. Tiger Goes Wild</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316200638/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316200638&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Peter Brown</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039925739X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=039925739X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039925739X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=039925739X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Ol-RS2yQ1Q/Uq75A4G70MI/AAAAAAAAJeU/iVdxSJRj5Y0/s200/DreamFriends.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039925739X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=039925739X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Dream Friends</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039925739X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=039925739X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by You Byun</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805093044/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805093044&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805093044/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805093044&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VMgaAPO9upY/Uq75FcBsxRI/AAAAAAAAJek/1utfB41mKB0/s200/elecopter.jpeg" width="199" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805093044/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805093044&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Elecopter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805093044/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805093044&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Michael Slack</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545485088/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545485088&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442435828/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442435828&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442435828/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442435828&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-As4z0LayEY8/Uq75HEM1KgI/AAAAAAAAJe0/ReY3JoTBYsg/s200/donotopen.jpg" width="198" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442435828/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442435828&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Warning: Do Not Open This Book!</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442435828/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442435828&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Adam Lehrhaupt and Matthew Forsythe</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545485088/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545485088&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q8mtfwctNvU/Uq75AEFHe8I/AAAAAAAAJeQ/1Y2fXECaefI/s1600/ChickenHare.jpg" width="171" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545485088/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545485088&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Chickenhare</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545485088/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545485088&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Chris Grine</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933718870/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1933718870&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933718870/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1933718870&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j_Q6nS-WmuQ/Uq75Cf7mr5I/AAAAAAAAJec/iwlZDSGA3IQ/s200/YesLets.png" width="199" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933718870/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1933718870&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933718870/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1933718870&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Yes, Let's</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933718870/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1933718870&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Galen Longstreth and Maris Wicks</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1554983606/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1554983606&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1554983606/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1554983606&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jg7e2wqjvVc/Uq78Apaf2fI/AAAAAAAAJfk/WvXNBeDWz4I/s200/janefox.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1554983606/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1554983606&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Jane, the Fox, and Me</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1554983606/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1554983606&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Fanny Britt and Isabelle Arsenault</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1452110069/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1452110069&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="230" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yxzYxa9nCWM/Uq74zL2NLRI/AAAAAAAAJds/qG15t8wApPI/s1600/FloraFlamingo.jpg" width="174" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1452110069/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1452110069&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Flora and the Flamingo</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1452110069/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1452110069&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Molly Idle</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547773579/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547773579&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_D4SmOvT9Hw/Uq75UREjIvI/AAAAAAAAJfE/GINVAHeDlu0/s200/mustachebaby.jpg" width="180" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547773579/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547773579&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Mustache Baby</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547773579/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547773579&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Bridget Heos and Joy Ang</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316208167/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316208167&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316208167/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316208167&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="235" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rb31RaZ_DZQ/Uq744EXkuiI/AAAAAAAAJd8/omZgScVCB6k/s1600/OnceUponAMemoryCover.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316208167/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316208167&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Once Upon a Memory</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316208167/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316208167&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Nina Laden and Renata Liwska</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375867503/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375867503&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375867503/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375867503&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lMen67froX8/Uq75L2BtheI/AAAAAAAAJe8/Qyz1h6-E0Yg/s200/i-haiku-you.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375867503/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375867503&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">I Haiku You</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375867503/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375867503&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Betsy Snyder </a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592701388/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592701388&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592701388/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592701388&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C_7rmaZfCRU/Uq8Ei-HpgcI/AAAAAAAAJf0/xyrFgqtvUGc/s200/WaitWait.jpg" width="191" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592701388/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592701388&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Wait! Wait!</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1592701388/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1592701388&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Hatsue Nakawaki and Komako Sakai</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9888240560/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9888240560&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9888240560/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9888240560&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9888240560/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9888240560&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oILlfElnr7I/UtP2ta7pyYI/AAAAAAAAJiQ/SUye0z_7JIY/s200/loveeacho.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9888240560/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9888240560&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">We Love Each Other</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9888240560/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=9888240560&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Yusuke Yonezu</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419708015/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1419708015&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="178" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GhKThP7ElnY/Uq75Yl3baqI/AAAAAAAAJfU/ook8soRAmoA/s200/seefine.jpeg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419708015/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1419708015&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">I Can See Just Fine</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419708015/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1419708015&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Eric Barclay</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423174372/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423174372&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423174372/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423174372&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="198" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5jj2ZHyuvVQ/Uq75WfVA8BI/AAAAAAAAJfM/PXPmlVll3Es/s200/oliver.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423174372/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423174372&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Oliver and His Alligator</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423174372/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423174372&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Paul Schmid</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442446730/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442446730&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442446730/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442446730&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v5AyGY-GgQ4/Uq75G-bFiQI/AAAAAAAAJew/Abic83kcJQQ/s1600/battlebunny.jpg" width="159" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442446730/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442446730&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Battle Bunny</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442446730/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442446730&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">by Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett, and Matthew Myers</a><br />
<br />
<br />Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-84891528483179330362013-07-11T09:20:00.000-04:002014-05-12T08:33:31.671-04:00Review #124: The Monstore<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zPSkDK2EaBQ/UdwUcGn9pcI/AAAAAAAAG3Q/7yi6CW58kgo/s1600/monstorefrontcover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zPSkDK2EaBQ/UdwUcGn9pcI/AAAAAAAAG3Q/7yi6CW58kgo/s200/monstorefrontcover.jpg" height="200" width="164" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> We have ourselves a copy of The Monstore, by Tara Lazar
and James Burks!</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 10):</span> The words and pictures are so good together, you’d think
they were done by the same person.</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 14):</span> The book is about this kid named Zack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He goes to the Monstore, which is a store
with useful monsters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The monsters are adorable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, some of them are kind of creepy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But mostly adorable.</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Zack buys a monster in order to keep his little sister in
line and keep her out of his room--</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 12):</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>And what is his little sister’s name<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">, hmmm?</i></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Gracie.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Heh, heh, heh…</i></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Where was I?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gracie messed me up.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> We need a monster to keep *our* Gracie in line.</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Yeah, EXACTLY.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Zack’s sister might be annoying, but she has an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">awesome</i> name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> The monster he buys doesn’t work, so he gets another
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That one doesn’t work either, so he
keeps getting more and more and more monsters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>The monsters don’t keep Gracie out of his room, instead
they help her annoy her brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which
is hilarious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s the exact opposite of
what he wanted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> At the Monstore there are no exchanges or refunds, so
Zack had to keep them all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He built up a
huge collection of monsters.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Zack’s not very bright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’d think he’d figure out pretty soon that buying monsters wasn’t
working.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"></span>He’s not very smart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not as smart as his wonderful, beautiful, incredibly-named sister.</div>
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<i><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad & Gracie:</span> Hah ha ha haah hah!</i></div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> We do actually have it on good authority that this
character <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> kind of <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-11-15T08%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=1" target="_blank">named after you</a>,
my dear. </div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>She is me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tara
Lazar said that when she made up these characters, the girl’s name was just
always Gracie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And she thinks
unconsciously she named her that because she reads our blog!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it <i>IS</i> a lovely name.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Why wasn’t *I* stuck in her head?</div>
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<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age 7):</span> It would be fun and awesome to draw pictures for a book
like this because of the monsters in it.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> our
monster-boy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You love drawing monsters.</div>
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<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Yes, I do.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How did these monsters hold up compared to other monsters
you’ve seen?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How is James Burks as a
monster draw-er?</div>
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<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Better than me.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So he gets a thumbs-up?<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> The monsters are awesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really
awesome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The awesomeness of them is
awesome.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Would you guys want to have a monster?</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"></span>It depends on what kind of monster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would like to have the kind that eats
dinners you don’t like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’d use him <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">every</i> day.</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Then you’d starve and die.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I’d buy a glow-in-the-dark monster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That would be the most useful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For my life it would. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because I always like to stay up late.</div>
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<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I want that globby monster in the jar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pretty sure you could transform him into
anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m pretty sure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could just shape-him-up and then make him
do stuff for you.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What do you think the most helpful monster would be,
Isaac?</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I’ve actually thought about this before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I have.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And I’ve decided – at least at this moment I’m still feeling it – that
the best monster would assist you with your pet peeves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, when someone leaves the faucet on and
it’s barely dripping, the monster would turn it off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or if someone leaves the front door open and
the flies are flying in, the monster would close it.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> That’s what children are for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey kid – go turn that off…”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ve got plenty of brothers and sisters for
that…</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Are you kidding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’ve asked so many times. </div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Yeah – he’s always like, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Turn-it-off–Turn-it-off–Turn-it-off…”</i></div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It doesn’t work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s why I want a monster.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The purple furry balloon monster is the cutest one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know because it has eyelashes.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Dad has eyelashes.</div>
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<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I have eyelashes.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Elijah’s eyelashes are way, way long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The longest eyelashes of anyone I’ve ever
met.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span id="goog_1630650016"></span><span id="goog_1630650017"></span>I love the monster in the book that is just a teeny eyeball with
legs.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Hey, what does that little eyeball monster even do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is he useful for?</div>
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<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> He is just useful for awesomeness.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vBZzD-7O1ng/Ud6reoMTojI/AAAAAAAAG3s/U39IEs34wgQ/s1600/IsaacMonstore.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vBZzD-7O1ng/Ud6reoMTojI/AAAAAAAAG3s/U39IEs34wgQ/s1600/IsaacMonstore.gif" height="215" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>monster line-up</b>, by Isaac</i></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBYBXRUnnF4/Ud6rd8i1KkI/AAAAAAAAG3g/Ietbd0Rn5f4/s1600/ElijahMonstore.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WBYBXRUnnF4/Ud6rd8i1KkI/AAAAAAAAG3g/Ietbd0Rn5f4/s1600/ElijahMonstore.gif" height="283" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>monsters hi</b>, by Elijah</i></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kO-jZ3eN-3g/Ud6rfAi5gLI/AAAAAAAAG34/QVAsvtWXIc4/s1600/LilyMonstore.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kO-jZ3eN-3g/Ud6rfAi5gLI/AAAAAAAAG34/QVAsvtWXIc4/s1600/LilyMonstore.gif" height="276" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>monster party</b>, by Lily</i></div>
<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lpd2uavhr6k/Ud6reMzifrI/AAAAAAAAG3k/r31nkXv8MWQ/s1600/GraceMonstore.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lpd2uavhr6k/Ud6reMzifrI/AAAAAAAAG3k/r31nkXv8MWQ/s1600/GraceMonstore.gif" height="400" width="306" /> </a> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>helpful monsters</b>, by Gracie</i></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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Author: <a href="http://taralazar.com/" target="_blank">Tara Lazar</a></div>
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Illustrator: <a href="http://jamesburks.com/" target="_blank">James Burks</a></div>
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Published, 2013:<a href="http://books.simonandschuster.com/Monstore/Tara-Lazar/9781442420175" target="_blank"> Aladdin</a></div>
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Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442420170/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442420170&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Here it is</a></div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-39277450962302471662013-05-06T11:35:00.000-04:002016-01-05T13:02:19.108-05:00Review #123: "I Love Ewe" and "Hug a Bull"<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzaffD6UgnA/UYfL-w8SUqI/AAAAAAAAGy8/ep2Vs2jngCs/s1600/Hugabull1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<i><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTZn_p_yz1s/UYQZ9YNDnkI/AAAAAAAAGxI/AwWG7haeA6U/s1600/IloveeweCover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em;"></a> </i><span style="font-weight: bold;"><i><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTZn_p_yz1s/UYQZ9YNDnkI/AAAAAAAAGxI/AwWG7haeA6U/s1600/IloveeweCover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTZn_p_yz1s/UYQZ9YNDnkI/AAAAAAAAGxI/AwWG7haeA6U/s200/IloveeweCover.jpg" width="178" /></a></i>Dad:</span> Today we’re celebrating
two new books:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I Love Ewe” and “Hug a
Bull”!
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age 7):</span> I want to tell everyone something.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These books are written by my dad.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Does that seem strange?</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 12):</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>It seems normal to me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Lots of dads make books.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> They do?</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>These books would be good for Mother’s Day and Father’s
Day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lPYtUIMA32Q/UYQZ9N6IrdI/AAAAAAAAGxA/dApCRGiJlNY/s1600/HugabullCover.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lPYtUIMA32Q/UYQZ9N6IrdI/AAAAAAAAGxA/dApCRGiJlNY/s200/HugabullCover.jpg" width="178" /></a></span></span></span>Dad:</span> Thanks, “Marketing Department!”</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>You’re welcome.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 14):</span> These are also “learning books.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> They are about Daddy and Mommy animals. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The books tell you their names.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So, animal moms and dads have names.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Of course they have names!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Names like “Mac” and “Thorin” and “Darleen”?<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> No those are just the names of my fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My fish that died.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You’ve had a lot of fish that have died.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also my fish
Bob.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Bob 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And Bob 3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And Burp.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So what kind of names <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i>
in these books then?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 10):</span> I know!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boy and girl names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They teach you lots of animal names you never
knew before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And some of them are fun to
say – like “Gobbler.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And “Peahen.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Let’s all say “Peahen” together.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> And a mommy octopus is called a “Hen.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>The little baby octopus on this page is the cutest little
thing ever!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s adorable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’m falling in love with that little
crab.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love all the little underwater
babies!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I know another name!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Guess what a mommy cow is called?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A Rhino!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait – I mean a mommy
rhino is called a Cow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Yeah – it doesn’t work in reverse.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hee hee hee!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A mommy cow is just called a Cow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Simple and confusing at the same time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IQPBlPNVzyQ/UYfI6eAdynI/AAAAAAAAGys/1dSSqASWznc/s1600/Nanny&Queen.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 0.5em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IQPBlPNVzyQ/UYfI6eAdynI/AAAAAAAAGys/1dSSqASWznc/s1600/Nanny&Queen.jpg" width="250" /></a><span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Is a girl goat called a “Hootin’ Nanny” or just a “Nanny”?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Nanny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Because “Hootin’ Nanny” sounds awesome!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Well, a hootenanny is like a southern… music… party…
thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, I made it into a pun for the
book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There's lots of puns and
wordplay.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I hate puns.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Oh!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A glowing
endorsement for these books!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> like the
puns in these.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I only hate annoying
puns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like when they are on Valentines
cards.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I just made up a rhyme: “The Mayor of Horse / is the Mare
of course.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Dad, you had to draw a horse for this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You hate drawing horses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Which do you hate more?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Drawing horses or cows?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Cows.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>And you had to draw cows twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For the Ewe book and the Bull book.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I had to do both of them twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cow and a horse for each book.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Actually even more!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Parent cows <i>and</i> baby cows for both books.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Four of each.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait
– and then there are cows on the cover too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And in the charts in back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
on the title page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even more!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Poor Daddy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Six horses and nine cows all together.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Nine cows!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I like drawing horses and cows.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Well, I’ll have you do it next time!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I paid my horsie due.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Horsie doo?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
sounds disgusting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQDN3IMfB-U/UYfL_8qm0OI/AAAAAAAAGzE/RmFXgpFw_A8/s1600/Hugabull2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AQDN3IMfB-U/UYfL_8qm0OI/AAAAAAAAGzE/RmFXgpFw_A8/s1600/Hugabull2.jpg" width="310" /></a><span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I never noticed that it’s called “Hug a Bull” and there’s
a Bull on the cover!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> You just thought it was because cows are huggable?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> They hug and snuggle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How do you think cows hug each other?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>They just rub together awkwardly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I had wanted to put an elephant Bull on the cover because
it could hug with its trunk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think cows
might just stab each other with their hoofs if they tried.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Ouch.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I almost put a turkey on the cover and called the book
“Wobbly Gobbler.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s what I originally wanted
to do first.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>That would not have been as good as “Hug a Bull.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> But it’s so fun to say!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Imagine… “Here’s my book, “Wobbly Gobbler.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>It does match the title of your “Chuckling Ducklings” book better.<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>(flipping through the pages)</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kangaroos!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Boinggie – boinggie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g2ni5-ZZOaU/UYfI6NdPMdI/AAAAAAAAGyo/jtv9FbzpbEw/s1600/Moms.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g2ni5-ZZOaU/UYfI6NdPMdI/AAAAAAAAGyo/jtv9FbzpbEw/s1600/Moms.jpg" width="300" /></a></span>They are so cute!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Oh my word!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love
the little possums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time I see
your tiny animals, my heart melts into little possum puddles.<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> And this page has a baby mole!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We actually saw a little tiny mole once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was so cute!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though he was dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Remember when you ran over one with the car
in the driveway?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>The little donkey baby is adorable.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> He’s got Elijah-hair!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>He does!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
does!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You made the donkeys look like
Elijah!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little donkeys have his hair
and the same expression he gets all the time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> “Ee-honk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ee-honk!”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>That is NOT a donkey noise!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what that was.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It’s more like a squeaky rocking chair.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzaffD6UgnA/UYfL-w8SUqI/AAAAAAAAGy8/ep2Vs2jngCs/s1600/Hugabull1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 0.5em;"></a>Dad:</span> So now I’ve done a book about <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzaffD6UgnA/UYfL-w8SUqI/AAAAAAAAGy8/ep2Vs2jngCs/s1600/Hugabull1.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzaffD6UgnA/UYfL-w8SUqI/AAAAAAAAGy8/ep2Vs2jngCs/s320/Hugabull1.jpg" width="320" /></a></span>Baby animals, one about Moms, one
about Dads…</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Next you have to do Grandmas!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I’m sure there’s a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">big</i>
list of grandma animal names out there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kids:</span> </i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Ha ha ha!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Well, thanks for the review, guys!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>(Starts rapping)</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><i> </i> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pssh -- pssh -- pssh… </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a book</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Which is about</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lots of fuzzy animals</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And they love to shout!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It tells all the names</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In poems and rhymes</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I love to read them</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All of the time!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Word.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It’s about Dads and Moms and such</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And barely any of them…. are… Dutch!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kids:</span> Hah ha ha hah…</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How about: Cows can’t hug</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But their heads can touch!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Yeah!<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mIzUPgBIVqk/UYe-EFTS3VI/AAAAAAAAGyA/UpoYjMFY8FE/s1600/ElijahBullEwe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mIzUPgBIVqk/UYe-EFTS3VI/AAAAAAAAGyA/UpoYjMFY8FE/s320/ElijahBullEwe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>"Ee-honk!"</b> by Elijah</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i> </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wRzlE92ExxU/UYe-EpdyKZI/AAAAAAAAGyI/YuBirSsIuCo/s1600/IsaacBullEwe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wRzlE92ExxU/UYe-EpdyKZI/AAAAAAAAGyI/YuBirSsIuCo/s320/IsaacBullEwe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>bull and calf</b>, by Isaac</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0S-vHw3hixI/UYe-GDxE2BI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/BrHViNxRF_M/s1600/GraceBullEwe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="219" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0S-vHw3hixI/UYe-GDxE2BI/AAAAAAAAGyQ/BrHViNxRF_M/s320/GraceBullEwe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>vixen, kit, and tod</b>; by Gracie</i> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XBfn3eVYaRk/UYe-HFdzd5I/AAAAAAAAGyY/g6Q_5hwN77s/s1600/LilyBullEwe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XBfn3eVYaRk/UYe-HFdzd5I/AAAAAAAAGyY/g6Q_5hwN77s/s400/LilyBullEwe.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>vote Mare for Mayor</b>, by Lily</i></div>
<br />
<br />
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://www.aaronzenz.com/" target="_blank">Aaron Zenz</a><br />
Published, 2013: <a href="http://www.bloomsbury.com/us/search?q=zenz&Gid=1" target="_blank">Walker Books</a><br />
Like them? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=Aaron%20Zenz%20Ode&linkCode=ur2&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3AAaron%20Zenz%20Ode&tag=bookwoog-20&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks" target="_blank"><b>Here they are!</b></a><br />
<br />
<br />
--------<br />
<i>This week, some wonderful blogs have highlighted "I Love Ewe" and "Hug a Bull." I'm so very thankful! I invite you to stop by and leave these folks some thoughtful comments:</i><br />
<br />
<b>Mon May 6: <a href="http://www.bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2013/05/giveaway-i-love-ewe-and-hug-bull.html" target="_blank">Bookie Woogie</a> <br />Tue May 7: <a href="http://www.readingtoknow.com/2013/05/hug-bull-by-aaron-zenz.html" target="_blank">Reading to Know</a> <br />
Wed May 8: <a href="http://www.playingbythebook.net/2013/05/08/cute-animals-word-play-happy-kids/" target="_blank">Playing by the Book</a> <br />Thu May 9: <a href="http://sharpread.wordpress.com/2013/05/10/blog-tour-hug-a-bull-i-love-ew/" target="_blank">Sharpread</a> <br />Fri May 10: <a href="http://citybookreview.com/hug-a-bull-an-ode-to-animal-dads/" target="_blank">City Book: Hug</a></b> and <b><a href="http://citybookreview.com/i-love-ewe-an-ode-to-animal-moms/" target="_blank">Ewe </a></b><br />
<b>Sat May 11: <a href="http://jenniferchamblissbertman.com/2013/03/rerun-aaron-zenzs-creative-space/" target="_blank">From the Mixed-up Files</a> </b><br />
<br />
Also very cool news! "I Love Ewe" and "Hug a Bull" were featured on my favorite NPR program "A Way With Words"! You can listen to the episode's intro below...
<iframe frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=htpps%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/99467740&color=ff7700&show_artwork=false" width="100%"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
--------<br />
<i>And now time for a Giveaway! Thanks for your support over the years! Just leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered to win one of three prizes:</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>Prize Pack #1:</b> <i>signed copies of "Hug a Bull" & "I Love Ewe" + three other books I've authored/illustrated: The Chimpanseeze, The Hiccupotamus (new in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761458832/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0761458832&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">boardbook</a>!), and Chuckling Ducklings (new in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802734367/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0802734367&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">boardbook</a>!)</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802728243/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0802728243&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lPYtUIMA32Q/UYQZ9N6IrdI/AAAAAAAAGxA/dApCRGiJlNY/s1600/HugabullCover.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 89px;" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/080272826X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=080272826X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTZn_p_yz1s/UYQZ9YNDnkI/AAAAAAAAGxI/AwWG7haeA6U/s1600/IloveeweCover.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 89px;" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545398703/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545398703&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-2" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LVJH93cmZEg/UGsFP25wiJI/AAAAAAAAGpU/x6mQOb1ds-E/chimpansneeze.gif" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629954668347690562" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761456228/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0761456228&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629954668347690562" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3sJTBw6xkug/TiGd8SxqjkI/AAAAAAAAFRU/xz_-JaFChcQ/s200/Hic1.gif" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802721923/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0802721923&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6EEVHVg6Cm4/TXSieCkGHLI/AAAAAAAAEnA/mV0DwafFLys/s200/ChDuckCover.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 89px;" /></a><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>Prize Pack #2:</b> <i>signed copies of "Hug a Bull" & "I Love Ewe" + three other books I've illustrated: Nugget on the Flight Deck, Skeleton Meets the Mummy, and Five Little Puppies Jumping on the Bed</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802728243/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0802728243&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lPYtUIMA32Q/UYQZ9N6IrdI/AAAAAAAAGxA/dApCRGiJlNY/s1600/HugabullCover.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 89px;" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/080272826X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=080272826X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTZn_p_yz1s/UYQZ9YNDnkI/AAAAAAAAGxI/AwWG7haeA6U/s1600/IloveeweCover.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 89px;" /></a> <br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005UWE1JY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005UWE1JY&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/Su6TB3oT25I/AAAAAAAADA0/g0jsH4ZBx8M/s200/Nugget.gif" style="height: 100px; width: 106px;" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545230322/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545230322&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SO2R1W4fGu8/UYSGr0MhREI/AAAAAAAAGxc/4Khb-0mb8J0/s1600/Skel.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 80px;" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545382521/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545382521&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Opvbd-BLTII/UYSGrofTUeI/AAAAAAAAGxY/pOr0t7C4mVY/s1600/Pups.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></a><br />
<br />
<b>Prize Pack #3:</b> <i>signed copies of "Hug a Bull" & "I Love Ewe" + an original piece of artwork - crafted specially for you - depicting the animal of your choosing! for example:</i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0802728243/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0802728243&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lPYtUIMA32Q/UYQZ9N6IrdI/AAAAAAAAGxA/dApCRGiJlNY/s1600/HugabullCover.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 89px;" /></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/080272826X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=080272826X&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dTZn_p_yz1s/UYQZ9YNDnkI/AAAAAAAAGxI/AwWG7haeA6U/s1600/IloveeweCover.jpg" style="height: 100px; width: 89px;" /></a> <br />
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Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com81tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-35840193236573447452013-04-15T08:00:00.000-04:002013-04-26T16:17:28.207-04:00Review #122: Giant Dance Party<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EftCCC-4nsU/UWmjXfFw8gI/AAAAAAAAGv8/Oeh-txgJN9k/s1600/giant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EftCCC-4nsU/UWmjXfFw8gI/AAAAAAAAGv8/Oeh-txgJN9k/s200/giant.jpg" width="164" /></a><span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 14):</span> “Giant Dance Party.”<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 10):</span> <i>(singing)</i> Hey,
hey, hey, it’s a good book!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 12):</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>When a book is good, you are just drawn to it for the
sake of its awesomeness.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It’s by Betsy Bird, and Brandon Dorman is illustrating
it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age 7):</span> I’ve never heard of a book illustrated by a Doormat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Dor<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">MAN</i>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The book is about this girl, and she loved to dance all
the day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Lexy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> But every time she had a recital, she froze up on stage
like an ice pop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> She forgot to breathe… THAT’S not a good thing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> You should NOT forget how to breathe.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Dangerous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Breathing is very important.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> She thought instead of dancing she could <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">teach</i> dance <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">lessons</i>. But no one came.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline (age 5):</span> Then giants showed up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Big blue furry ones in overalls.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I think we should name them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The… Farggy Hizzard Giants.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Ooo… catchy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> She taught them to dance, and she got over her fear when
the giants got froze-y up too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Froze-y!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Froze-y.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Dancie-dance-dance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I honestly would not have thought of drawing giants that
looked like that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it would not have
been as awesome if they just looked like giants the way everyone imagines
giants.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Most giants just look like normal people but
magnified.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With crooked teeth and bad
clothes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But these ones are like cute
monsters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are adorable!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> They look like really big bugs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>They’re kind of like furry cucumbers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> They look like fuzzy blue pigs.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>They do!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> With antennas.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> I like the girl ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They are cute ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many girl
giants are there?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> My favorite is the giant with bushy eyebrows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>MacDuff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I especially like when he wears his wig.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> What is Scottish Highland Dancing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to learn it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because it sounds awesome.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I think it’s kind of jiggy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Jig it up!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Is it like River Dancing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because that’s cool.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Elijah has awesome dance moves, don’t you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you remember that one time you drank olive
juice and went crazy all over like a dancing fool?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> In my underwear.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You do remember!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> We’ve got it on taa-aaape.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Gracie used to take dance lessons when she was a little
dude.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>When I was 4!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do you remember that at all?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a
special spot where I liked to sit on the floor – the whole floor was flat
except for this one notch that bumped up and it looked like someone pooped
there.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <i>Ha ha ha hah…</i> Wow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m glad you have some fond memories of your dancing days.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I have a question.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why is there a cupcake on the cover of this book?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has nothing to do with the book at
ALL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a random cupcake!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Yeah, why on earth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s not one cupcake in the entire book!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I think it’s just a bonus cupcake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For your viewing pleasure.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Why the heck is it there?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It’s got to be a really big cupcake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Giant sized.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It’s as big as the girl’s head!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> He’s going to splat it on her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>We are so obsessed with this cupcake.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Any final thoughts you’d like to share?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I have a theory about why no one came to Lexy’s dance
lessons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t have her address on
the fliers she put out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That could
definitely be the reason.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How did the giants find her then?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> That’s why it took them all week long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They found the fliers the first day, and they
were looking for her all week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had
been going door to door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See, I have
reasons for everything.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Then what’s the reason for the cupcake?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I have no reason for that.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KBRYHtE5DM0/UWvof1ypCBI/AAAAAAAAGwk/jnckY8cABiQ/s1600/LilyGiant.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KBRYHtE5DM0/UWvof1ypCBI/AAAAAAAAGwk/jnckY8cABiQ/s320/LilyGiant.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>a Farggy Hizzard Giant</b>, by Lily</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PpjTP-XNT1A/UWvoelF48QI/AAAAAAAAGwY/C5r1vmXY3CU/s1600/EvieGiant.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PpjTP-XNT1A/UWvoelF48QI/AAAAAAAAGwY/C5r1vmXY3CU/s320/EvieGiant.jpg" width="228" /></a> </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Lexy</b>, by Evangeline</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDjZNdC3aHE/UWvoeD1-xYI/AAAAAAAAGwM/TYjtNsfgHWY/s1600/ElijahGiant.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDjZNdC3aHE/UWvoeD1-xYI/AAAAAAAAGwM/TYjtNsfgHWY/s320/ElijahGiant.jpg" width="272" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>MacDuff</b>, by Elijah</i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VrBibct43lo/UWvoetiKw8I/AAAAAAAAGwU/2l2wRiuQWb8/s1600/GraceGiant.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729307649279371618" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VrBibct43lo/UWvoetiKw8I/AAAAAAAAGwU/2l2wRiuQWb8/s400/GraceGiant.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 290px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lexy's dance lessons for giants, aliens, & unicorns</span><span style="font-style: italic;">, by Gracie</span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h0Z_RwUgYf8/UWvogAmUG-I/AAAAAAAAGws/2bGEXFSb5BE/s1600/IsaacGiant.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="1000" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h0Z_RwUgYf8/UWvogAmUG-I/AAAAAAAAGws/2bGEXFSb5BE/s1600/IsaacGiant.jpg" width="217" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>giant dance moves</b>, by Isaac</i></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
Author: <a href="http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/" target="_blank">Betsy Bird</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Illustrator: <a href="http://brandondorman.com/" target="_blank">Brandon Dorman</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Published, 2013: <a href="http://harpercollinschildrens.com/books/Giant-Dance-Party/?isbn13=9780061960833&tctid=100" target="_blank">Greenwillow Books</a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061960837/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061960837&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Here it is</a><br />
<img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bookwoog-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0061960837" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-75888030616658029462013-01-21T08:00:00.000-05:002015-10-02T11:08:56.310-04:00Review #121: The Prairie Thief<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yw_S9qti_fY/UPzz4plYM_I/AAAAAAAAGvc/moFQSbUKH3o/s1600/prairie+thief.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yw_S9qti_fY/UPzz4plYM_I/AAAAAAAAGvc/moFQSbUKH3o/s200/prairie+thief.jpg" width="131" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> We just finished a big family reading of "The Prairie Thief" by Melissa Wiley.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 12):</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I've got such a good blurb for this book. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Oh yeah?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie: </span>It's better than any blurb Isaac will think of. I'm going to whoop Isaac at the blurbage. <span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Okay, tell us your blurb.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I don't want to right now!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You want to save it for the end?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Yes, because it still needs a little tweaking here and there.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Alright... we're on pins and needles. So let's talk about "The Prairie Thief." Let's start with each of the words in the title.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 14):</span> I'll tell you about the word "The."<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How about "Prairie"?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 9):</span> The characters live on a prairie. A prairie is a nice field of long flow-y grass that blows in the wind.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> This book takes place in the same timeframe as Little House on the Prairie days. <br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Yeah, when I think of prairies, I think of Laura.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Little girls with braids in their hair, running through the fields. It's the Old Days.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age 7):</span> They're probably all dead by now.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Tell me about the "Thief" part of the title...<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The girl's dad was accused of theft-ing.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>You're not even saying it right. It's <i>"thievering."</i><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Uh, thievering?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Louisa is the main character. A whole bunch of stolen property is found on their land, and her father is falsely accused. He has to go to jail, and Louisa has to clear her father's name before they hang him, because her Pa is like an awesome honorable man.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Louisa has to go stay with the people who accused her Pa because they are the only ones who live nearby.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>It's miserable! They are called The Smirches. Which sounds like a totally evil name.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>(growling)</i> <i>Smmmirchhhhhh....</i><br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Doesn't that name just sound like an evil name?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Smirch.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Like, listen to this. Which one sounds like the evil character: Mrs. Brody... Mrs. Mack... or Mrs. <i>Smirch.</i><br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Smirch.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> We talked a bit about how this book has a historical setting.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>But it was also magical.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> The author did a good job describing what life on the prairie was like.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Yeah. And then she did a good job describing what life was like with a Leprechaun for a neighbor.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> It's a Brownie! Louisa finds a Brownie.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Brownies! That sounds delicious!<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> No. A Brownie is a little short man with a beard!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Like you?<br />
<i><b>Kids:</b> </i>Ha ha ha hah!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Elijah is a little short man.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>But he doesn't have a beard. You do. It's a mix between you and Elijah.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> There are two kinds of Brownies. The "little man" brownie and the "eating" brownie. And you can't get them mixed up. That would be pretty bad.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Back to the story...<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>The author shows how difficult life really was back then on the Prairie Days. She expresses that really well throughout the book. But then she mixes in magical creatures.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It's a good mix... showing life a long time ago, but also with some fantasy. It doesn't overdo it either way. It's a good mix.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Louisa crawls into a little hole that she thinks is a badger hole.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> But she found a Brownie!<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>He's got a pointy little hat.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> And he can talk to animals.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>She meets lots of fun little friends along her journey. Like a pronghorn. And wolves.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> And a Brownie!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Isaac, I have a question for you...<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <i>(hesitantly)</i> Yeeeees?<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I've read a bit of debate online recently. Some people claim that boys don't like books with girls as main characters. What's your opinion?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Uhhh... It depends on the book.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> They say that girls will read books with boys as main characters, but boys won't read books with girls as main characters.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> That's not true. It just has to be the right book. I mean, boys aren't going to want "Barbie Princess." It just depends on what the story is.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Any examples of books you like that have girls as main characters?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <i>(Isaac starts rattling off books, no hesitation...)</i> The "Amulet" books have a girl in it -- those are graphic novels though. "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" would be another good book. "A Series of Unfortunate Events" has two girls and one boy. "A Wrinkle in Time" is not really a boy book or a girl book. It's just a really good book I would suggest for people to read... <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So what about "The Prairie Thief"? Is it a book that boys would read?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I don't know about all boys. But in my opinion I thought it was good. *I* liked "The Prairie Thief." <br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Sleeping overnight with wolves. Riding on pronghorns. Climbing into mysterious holes. That all sounds like stuff boys would like.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Yeah, it has to do with wolves and coyotes! And Brownies!<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It's a really good story.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Great - thanks guys! So, are you ready for your blurb now, Gracie?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Okay, I think I've got it. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Let's have it.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>"'The Prairie Thief' is a mystical mystery not to be missed." <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Hey, good blurb!<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>I'm the blurb master now.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sox-n9Be6kc/UPzxcnhUOgI/AAAAAAAAGvA/JSliNL7zB90/s1600/LilyPrairie.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sox-n9Be6kc/UPzxcnhUOgI/AAAAAAAAGvA/JSliNL7zB90/s320/LilyPrairie.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Louisa crawls into the hole</b>, by Lily</i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H3cOGyvy1tM/UPzxbqhZyRI/AAAAAAAAGuw/d6Z3sVFoGU4/s1600/IsaacPrairie.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H3cOGyvy1tM/UPzxbqhZyRI/AAAAAAAAGuw/d6Z3sVFoGU4/s320/IsaacPrairie.gif" width="277" /></a><i> </i></div>
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<i><b>Louisa meets a wolf</b>, by Isaac </i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h44WstWIgls/UPzxcCi6R0I/AAAAAAAAGu4/677pUSvfmMo/s1600/GracePrairie.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="312" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h44WstWIgls/UPzxcCi6R0I/AAAAAAAAGu4/677pUSvfmMo/s400/GracePrairie.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Louisa rides a pronghorn</b>, by Gracie</i></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-svnEP-tdEIo/UPzxawWQOPI/AAAAAAAAGuo/czW61LGLJHc/s1600/ElijahPrairie.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-svnEP-tdEIo/UPzxawWQOPI/AAAAAAAAGuo/czW61LGLJHc/s320/ElijahPrairie.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Brownie riding a wolf</b>, by Elijah</i></div>
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Author: <a href="http://melissawiley.com/" target="_blank">Melissa Wiley</a><br />
Illustrator: <a href="http://erwinmadrid.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Erwin Madrid</a><br />
Published, 2012: <a href="https://catalog.simonandschuster.com/TitleDetails/TitleDetails.aspx?cid=1381&isbn=9781442440562&a=" target="_blank">Margaret K. McElderry Books</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1442440562/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1442440562" target="_blank"> Here it is</a>Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-18354643245376422552013-01-14T08:00:00.000-05:002013-02-27T13:12:15.149-05:00Review #120: The Three Ninja Pigs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zf9k5JdK0k4/UPNr1Qg2t5I/AAAAAAAAGtc/HHz1OY4X35w/s1600/IsaacNinja.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-O_gSLff8g/UPDw_A-6xQI/AAAAAAAAGs8/CL-2I8Xq-SU/s1600/NinjaPigs.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Q-O_gSLff8g/UPDw_A-6xQI/AAAAAAAAGs8/CL-2I8Xq-SU/s200/NinjaPigs.jpg" width="154" /></a> </div>
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It's "The Three Ninja Pigs."<br />
<b><i>Kids:</i></b> <i>(karate noises)</i> <i>YAGH! WHAH! SWOOSH-WOOSH!</i><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Written by Corey Rosen Schwartz. And illustrated by --<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 9):</span> Dan Santat.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 12):</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>He's an illustrator and a ninja. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> The 6 kids and I just read the book. And now the 3 oldest kids are here reviewing it, while the 3 littlest ones are...<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Doing karate stuff. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> They've turned into little ninjas, spinning all over the room.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>They're all like <i>WAH! HAWAH!</i><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It's funny to see the baby running around doing ninja moves. <i>Hey,</i> you three need to be quieter while we do the review...<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>This book is about these three pigs that live in China. There's this wolf in their village that they have to get rid of because he's blowing things down. He's a big bully and he rules the world or something.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So, there are Three Pigs... a Big Bad Wolf... this sounds like...<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>The Three Little Pigs. It's pretty much the same only they changed the word 'little' to 'ninja.'<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 14):</span> It definitely makes it different.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> They are taking the original and they are re-storying it.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>They are strange-ing it up.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Twisting it.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It's cool - I like how it's twisted with ninjas and karate. <br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Twisted Ninjas!<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>(singing)</i> I'm a twisted ninjaaaaaaa! A twisted ninjaa-aa-aa!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So what happens in this ninja version?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>The pigs don't like the wolf being a bully, so they go train at different Ninja Schools. The first pig drops out because he's lazy.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I think he's not very smart. All the other animals in the dojo are flipping each other like, <i>WAH! SHOOP! WHAP!</i> But Pig One is just snoring.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And the second pig?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Pig Two stopped halfway through too. He thought, "I don't need any more learning. I'm good enough to defeat the evil wolf now. Ha- ha-ha-ha."<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> But he got kicked.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Third pig?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Pig Three studies karate, she goes through all the lessons, and she masters it. She defeats the wolf.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>She scares him.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> By splitting bricks on top of each other. <br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>That third pig is a millionaire! Did you see how big her house is???<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>WAH! WEW! WHEW! </i> <i>Pork Chop!</i><br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>The author and illustrator probably based Pig Three off of Miss Piggie. <br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> They are probably Muppet fans.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>Are you guys Muppet fans?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> When Miss Piggie gets offended her eyes get really big!<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>And she goes <i>HI-YAH!</i> with her perfectly manicured hooves.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So that sums up the story. What did you think about the art?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I like the end pages. Those are pretty nice. They are pretty scenes.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I really like how the author told the story with all the rhyming and the twist to it. I also really like the artwork. I like the... the... whatchacallit... the um, perspective of the characters.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad: </span> You mean Foreshortening?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>New word!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> When a character has an arm or a leg coming out toward you, the artist needs to know how to use 'foreshortening' -- they make the leg look bigger and overlapped to show that it's closer.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Yeah. I'm bad at that! <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You see foreshortening a lot in superhero comics. It's really tricky.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <i>Yeah</i> it is. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Done right, it looks like the foot is coming toward you. Done wrong it looks like, "Man, that dude has a really short leg and a huge foot." It's definitely a skill you have to learn.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Dan Santat is good.<br />
<i>(One by one the older kids have been slinking away to join the younger kids in jumping around the room karate style)</i><br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Bacon action!<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><i>WAHHH!</i><br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <i>WHEW! WEW! WEW!</i><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Are you guys done with this review then?<i> </i><br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><i>WAP! WAP! WAP!</i><br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <i>NINJITSU!</i> Ow! I just pulled something in my leg!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Are you guys going to go make your review-fan-art now... or practice ninja skills on each other?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Ouch. <i>I'm</i> going to go get a heating pad...<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PvJr4D-MDgk/UPNr2353ZkI/AAAAAAAAGtk/2MgOE3W1O48/s1600/LilyNinja.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="274" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PvJr4D-MDgk/UPNr2353ZkI/AAAAAAAAGtk/2MgOE3W1O48/s320/LilyNinja.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Pig Three versus A Duck</b>, by Lily</i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Da3mRPwqsAg/UPNrzVjAWHI/AAAAAAAAGtU/QFkpzT47fTw/s1600/GraceNinja.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Da3mRPwqsAg/UPNrzVjAWHI/AAAAAAAAGtU/QFkpzT47fTw/s320/GraceNinja.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Pig Three versus Miss Piggie</b>, by Gracie</i></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zf9k5JdK0k4/UPNr1Qg2t5I/AAAAAAAAGtc/HHz1OY4X35w/s1600/IsaacNinja.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zf9k5JdK0k4/UPNr1Qg2t5I/AAAAAAAAGtc/HHz1OY4X35w/s1600/IsaacNinja.gif" width="291" /></a></div>
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<i><b>Pig Three versus A Punching Bag</b>, by Isaac</i></div>
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Author: <a href="http://coreyschwartz.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Corey Rosen Schwartz</a><br />
Illustrator: <a href="http://dansantat.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">Dan Santat</a><br />
Published, 2012: <a href="http://www.us.penguingroup.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780399255144,00.html?The_Three_Ninja_Pigs_Corey_Rosen_Schwartz" target="_blank">Putnam</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399255141/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399255141" target="_blank">Here it is...</a><br />
<br />Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-47364901448385926122013-01-02T08:00:00.000-05:002013-12-16T09:25:27.602-05:00Great Books of 2012!<br />
Looking for the best picture-filled books of 2012? Here are our favorites! The tip of the top, the cream of the crop: <br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805090789/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805090789" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Ujae7c4Dyc/UOJ7rcQKHQI/AAAAAAAAGr0/6EleJkpmwOU/s200/Summer.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805090789/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805090789" target="_blank">Summer Days and Nights</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805090789/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805090789" target="_blank">by Wong Herbert Yee</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811869253/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0811869253" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--rmTvCrOLkw/UOJ7r6evI8I/AAAAAAAAGr8/k3ohDgRM8UA/s200/Tiger.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811869253/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0811869253" target="_blank">It's a Tiger!</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811869253/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0811869253" target="_blank">by David LaRochelle and Jeremy Tankard</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763658383/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763658383" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jgfjR4IWVGQ/UOJ7laUU5NI/AAAAAAAAGrE/HXTjF7cKHGA/s200/Knight.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763658383/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763658383" target="_blank">Night Knight</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763658383/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763658383" target="_blank">by Owen Davey</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763660973/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763660973" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GXIgJ3RdnwE/UOJ7hwYgHOI/AAAAAAAAGqU/MmW40kW6DyM/s1600/Blackdog.jpg" width="170" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763660973/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763660973" target="_blank">Black Dog</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763660973/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763660973" target="_blank">by Levi Pinfold</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761362037/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0761362037" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VNBoTjGZ78Y/UOJ7mKMpV1I/AAAAAAAAGrM/ypTH8F78hYw/s200/Leaf.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761362037/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0761362037" target="_blank">A Leaf Can Be</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761362037/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0761362037" target="_blank">by Laura Purdie Salas and Violeta Dabija</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547610831/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547610831" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="164" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CT8sS4yEnsk/UOJ7nTKTAeI/AAAAAAAAGrc/sUUVMCxKkrY/s1600/More.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547610831/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547610831" target="_blank">More</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547610831/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547610831" target="_blank">by IC Springman and Brian Lies</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763655996/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763655996" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="151" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oRZrr9CSu9s/UOJ7jlRs0pI/AAAAAAAAGq0/jhQDX9QlQJc/s1600/Hat.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763655996/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763655996" target="_blank">This is Not my Hat</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0763655996/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0763655996" target="_blank">by Jon Klassen</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547558635/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547558635" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-M-l4iBNRn54/UOctKznc5YI/AAAAAAAAGsk/Qlz9nBEgAy8/s200/ChristmasQuiet.jpg" width="182" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547558635/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547558635" target="_blank">The Christmas Quiet Book</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547558635/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0547558635" target="_blank">by Deborah Underwood and Renata Liwska</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805090304/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805090304" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="199" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ilZ3EWm1AW0/UOJ7smCXIaI/AAAAAAAAGsM/hKvgjYDDd-M/s1600/monsterreturns.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805090304/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805090304" target="_blank">The Monster Returns</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0805090304/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0805090304" target="_blank">by Peter McCarty</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545312833/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545312833" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="220" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aWA8RLvr7Dw/UOJ7hHIrH9I/AAAAAAAAGqM/fxj-L6ruY4g/s1600/BSquirrel.jpg" width="146" /></a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545312833/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545312833" target="_blank">Bird & Squirrel on the Run</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0545312833/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0545312833" target="_blank">by James Burks</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423137604/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423137604" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KWypqz6IMxo/UOJ7qoIY8WI/AAAAAAAAGrs/X71Tdz-NL_Q/s1600/Special.jpg" width="188" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423137604/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423137604" target="_blank">One Special Day</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423137604/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423137604" target="_blank">by Lola M Schaefer and Jessica Meserve</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061142913/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061142913" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="185" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1CYxfUIPuw/UOJ7iRAIHaI/AAAAAAAAGqY/on5GnOLkJi4/s1600/Chloe.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061142913/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061142913" target="_blank">Chloe</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061142913/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061142913" target="_blank">by Peter McCarty</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375868666/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375868666" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="154" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OWzLNZr5Zmk/UOJ7i659iUI/AAAAAAAAGqk/F7T0Pn317DA/s200/Falcon.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375868666/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375868666" target="_blank">Falcon</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375868666/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0375868666" target="_blank">by Tim Jessell</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423113349/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423113349" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m3vtYSTgIuU/UOJ7sAAS4iI/AAAAAAAAGsE/8NCTR4xt9xM/s200/chloeandthelion.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423113349/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423113349" target="_blank">Chloe and the Lion</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1423113349/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1423113349" target="_blank">by Mac Barnett and Adam Rex</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146770315X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=146770315X" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ssjlJoK4r-s/UOJ7mjRC71I/AAAAAAAAGrU/kkLwA-zDfi0/s1600/Louis.jpg" width="171" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146770315X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=146770315X" target="_blank">The Day Louis Got Eaten</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/146770315X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=146770315X" target="_blank">by John Fardell</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/141970396X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=141970396X" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tipi9j2_B00/UOJ7qEWhA1I/AAAAAAAAGrk/xjvmcjejDfw/s1600/OneDeadSpy.jpg" width="145" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/141970396X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=141970396X" target="_blank">One Dead Spy</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/141970396X/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=141970396X" target="_blank">by Nathan Hale</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0803737319/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0803737319" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6TDYkcyUVi4/UOJ7kmRu9II/AAAAAAAAGq8/v54Mz2-itUY/s200/Jeffnose.jpg" width="155" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0803737319/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0803737319" target="_blank">Hanging off Jefferson's Nose</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0803737319/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0803737319" target="_blank">by Tina Nichols Coury and Sally Wern Comport</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399255214/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399255214" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8DZXk7hGDOk/UOJ7jfGdWbI/AAAAAAAAGqs/SuyH1vgDI3Q/s1600/Fangbone.jpg" width="136" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399255214/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399255214" target="_blank">Fangbone</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399255214/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0399255214" target="_blank">by Michael Rex</a><br />
<br />Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-7401274868168871952012-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:002013-01-14T14:18:09.748-05:00Review #119: Frog and Toad Together<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vbylGozBjlA/ULL82z8SSPI/AAAAAAAAGpw/pYfGd26iOsA/s1600/FrogandToad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vbylGozBjlA/ULL82z8SSPI/AAAAAAAAGpw/pYfGd26iOsA/s200/FrogandToad.jpg" width="135" /></a></div>
It's that time of year again... The 2nd Annual 90-Second Newbery Festival is right around the corner! Each year kids across the land are invited to make short video versions of their favorite Newbery winners, and this year the Z-Kids were eager to have another go at it.<br />
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You might know that one of Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad books won a Caldecott Honor for illustration. But did you know that a different one received the Newbery Honor for story?<br />
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We're excited to present our Frog and Toad Fan Film, performed by Isaac (14), Gracie (12), Lily (9), Elijah (7), and Evie (4)...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/54199415?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" width="400"></iframe><br />
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To watch it larger, you can <a href="https://vimeo.com/54199415" target="_blank">click here...</a><br />
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If you'd like to see a behind-the-scenes "Making Of" video, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYWAYgGjxHg" target="_blank">click here...</a><br />
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If you'd like to hear Isaac's original free-styling harmonica score, <a href="http://www.aaronzenz.com/audio/IsaacFrogAndToadScore-music.mp3" target="_blank">click here...</a><br />
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If you'd like to watch all of our 90-Second Newbery entries, <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/search/label/Video%20Review" target="_blank">click here...</a><br />
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Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Lobel" target="_blank">Arnold Lobel</a><br />
Published, 1979: <a href="http://harpercollinschildrens.com/books/Frog-Toad-Together-Arnold-Lobel/?isbn13=9780064440219&tctid=100" target="_blank">HarperCollins</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0812429141/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0812429141" target="_blank">Here it is</a><br />
<br />Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-81964118182316573192012-10-01T08:00:00.000-04:002015-10-02T11:08:56.327-04:00Interview #17: Grace Lin<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vVxbegmbc4s/UGlQC4Xe9DI/AAAAAAAAGoU/w07n5ssEcJA/s1600/gate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MxUwUASFgo0/UGlIjeONEDI/AAAAAAAAGns/Dq8eBd-xfss/s1600/GraceLinGracie.gif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MxUwUASFgo0/UGlIjeONEDI/AAAAAAAAGns/Dq8eBd-xfss/s320/GraceLinGracie.gif" width="234" /></a><i>We had the extreme privilege of calling up author Grace Lin for a conversation about her life, her art, and her newest book "Starry River of the Sky." (Official release date, tomorrow!) This new novel is a companion to her Newberry Honor winning book "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon." You may remember our review of that title: a special <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/05/review-96-where-mountain-meets-moon.html" target="_blank">shadow puppet video review</a>. </i><br />
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<i>Congratulations to Grace Lin for another wonderful tale, and many thanks for the great conversation! </i><i>(portrait of Grace Lin by Gracie)</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>***First a review....</i><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_xRJJey4URQ/UGlJ8TshbzI/AAAAAAAAGn0/e9HTKiCRrBs/s1600/Starry+River+of+the+Sky+by+Grace+Lin.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_xRJJey4URQ/UGlJ8TshbzI/AAAAAAAAGn0/e9HTKiCRrBs/s200/Starry+River+of+the+Sky+by+Grace+Lin.jpg" width="138" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Okay guys, tell me your impressions of Starry River of the Sky...
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 12):</span> It was magical!
And interesting. And
exciting!</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 9):</span> It's like a mystery story too.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> The moon goes missing. </div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 14):</span> And the sky is crying.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> So the characters have to find out where the moon went.</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> But the main character can't leave the city. He can't get away.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> And there are lots of little stories within the one main
story. Like, one of the characters will say, "Did you ever hear the story
of... the Giant Frog that Ate the Moon?" And they'll go, "No! Tell it! Tell it!" Then later that story will tie into
their adventure. All the awesome
little stories add up and connect to the main story at the end.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You said 'awesome'... Why are the little stories awesome?</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> They are crazy!
Like, there used to be six suns in the sky and this guy starts shooting
them down with his bow and arrow.
So cool. And there's this
glorious lady who lives on the moon.
But her husband lives on the sun.
So once every month this celestial rooster flies him across the sky from
the sun to the moon, and he gets to be with his wife.</div>
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Tell me about some of the transformations that take place
in the book. Creatures are
changing all over the place...</div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> A tadpole turned into a rabbit. The rabbit turned into a toad. A different toad turned into a lady.</div>
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<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> A man turned
into a toad. A white tiger turned
into a man. The mountain spirit
turned into a man.</div>
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<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> The angry kid turned into a happy kid.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So it wasn't just external changes... There were internal
changes too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> People changed their hearts. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Rendi, the main kid, was really angry and he wanted to
leave the city. At the beginning
he only cared about himself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> But he changed.
By the end he even saved a lot of people from danger by grabbing this
girl's bracelet to make everyone chase him, drawing them away from danger.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> But we can't say <i>what</i> the danger is...</div>
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> ...or else it will give the story away!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>***And now for our chat with Grace Lin!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Thank-you guys for the great <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2011/05/review-96-where-mountain-meets-moon.html" target="_blank">movie you made</a> for
"Where the Mountain Meets the Moon." That was amazing!
Everyone who has seen it is so impressed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rOyLUG9gLTg/Tcch_zv3mXI/AAAAAAAAEzI/Dh-bDt8RJz8/s200/Mountain.JPG" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rOyLUG9gLTg/Tcch_zv3mXI/AAAAAAAAEzI/Dh-bDt8RJz8/s200/Mountain.JPG" /></a><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> It was hard.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>I thought it was amazing. You could tell how much work you put into it. I really loved the shadow puppets. Isaac designed all of them?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Well, Lily and I helped to design the characters, but
Isaac built all the puppets himself.
He has them all hanging up in his room now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>I should get the publisher to hire you for new
trailers. It was so good. So thank-you very much!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I think we have a special bond with that book now - since
we delved into it for so long, crafting puppets and retelling your story. And after taking such a close look at
your work, it seemed like we knew <i>you</i> a little bit too, even though we'd
never met.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>So what did you guys think about the new book?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> It was sooo good!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It was awesome.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> We enjoyed it so much.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Oh good, I'm glad.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Who's got an interview question ready?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Since you write your books and you illustrate them...
what do you like best about each of those things? What are their ups and downs?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>The part I <i>dislike</i> most about both of those things is
the same. I really, really don't
like writing a first draft. And I
really, really don't like making the first sketches either. That first "getting it all
out" is the hardest part for me.
The part I like <i>best</i> in both is the revising. Fixing the story is always fun to
me. And after the drawings are
done, painting them and adding the color is fun for me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Personally, I <i>love</i> to paint. And I love the way <i>you</i> paint.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Oh thanks!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> How do you paint like that? It's so detailed and so pretty...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Aw, thanks! That's a nice thing to say.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah, how do you do that?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>It's just... "Time."
It's just sitting there and painting one pattern over another
pattern. And I think the way I
paint is a little bit like how I write too. If you notice, there are stories within stories. Layers on layers. Pattern over pattern.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I got your books "The Year of the Dog" and
"The Year of the Rat" for my birthday. I was wondering, are those books about you?<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yizl-8hTf4g/UGlLVbDWzSI/AAAAAAAAGn8/OoIPwUnRCPg/s1600/yeardog.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Yizl-8hTf4g/UGlLVbDWzSI/AAAAAAAAGn8/OoIPwUnRCPg/s200/yeardog.jpg" width="135" /></a><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Yes, they are very, very autobiographical. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> So you are from Taiwan? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>My parents were born in Taiwan, but I was born here in
the United States. All the things
that happen in those books, happened in real life. But a lot of things that might have taken place over the
course of two years, I squished into one year in the book. Or a lot of the stories that my mother
tells me in the books were really told to me by my aunt or my cousin. But I just said my mom told the stories
because I didn't want to add too many new characters. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Keeps it simpler.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Yeah. So
it's not 100% true. But they <i>are</i>
actually all things that really happened. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> What about the stories the characters tell in Starry
River of the Sky? Did you make
those up, or did you have to do a lot of research to find them?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Those stories are inspired by Chinese folktales. I added a lot of details to them, and
sometimes I made changes or switched things around. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Why did you do that?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Many of the folktales don't have a lot of details. So I saw the story in my head, and I
added the details to make it more interesting to myself. And also to tie the individual stories
in better with the rest of the book. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Why do you choose to use folktales?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>I enjoy researching Chinese folklore for my own personal
reasons. And I guess I think,
"Well since I'm researching, why don't I just use it in my books!"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Cool.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Since you've read "The Year of the Dog," you'll know that I grew up here in the United States. And I didn't know that much about my Chinese heritage. In fact I really didn't <i>want</i> to know too much. Nobody around me looked like me. Nobody else was Chinese. But when I grew older, I felt really sad that I knew so little, and I wanted to learn more. Since I'm a children's book author, I
like reading stories. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gdWFOW8MPhU/UGlSrwoTM5I/AAAAAAAAGo0/BAgbSS96Zxo/s1600/pocket.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gdWFOW8MPhU/UGlSrwoTM5I/AAAAAAAAGo0/BAgbSS96Zxo/s200/pocket.jpg" width="199" /></a>So one of the ways of learning about my heritage that was interesting to me was reading Chinese folktales and fairytales.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J9f7loSFcAI/UGlNdJZk98I/AAAAAAAAGoE/DM48Kcyf36k/s1600/pennies.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> We did notice that your stories have a lot of Asian
culture to them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>I guess
writing all these books now is my way of trying to get back the things I missed
out on when I was younger.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> In Starry River, one of the characters says, "When people tell stories, they share things about themselves." So we were wondering what <i>this</i> book tells about <i>you</i>?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>The first
thing is one that you noticed -- all my stories are about Asian culture. So all my stories share how I'm
interested in my heritage now. But
specifically in Starry River of the Sky... I guess a lot of that book has to do
with finding peace and letting go of your anger. There were parts of my life when I felt really angry about
things. But there is a Chinese
proverb that says, "Holding onto anger is like holding onto a hot coal -
it only hurts yourself." That
is something I learned, and that is something I want to share.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And since she's shared that lesson through her story, we readers can have a
chance to learn it too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>You guys might know... my first husband Robert unfortunately died of cancer. He was sick for a very, very long
time. When he first got sick, I
was really, really angry.
"Why is he sick?"
And then after a while I realized that... me, being angry that he's
sick, is just wasting energy. It's
just making my life very, very unhappy.
So I should let go of that anger and find peace, and that's how things
can be happier. I guess that's
what I was trying to share. That's
kind of what this book is about.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Are there going to be any more sequels to these two
books? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>I <i>think</i> one more... </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Gracie got a big smile when you said that!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span><i>Ha ha...
</i>Although I'm not exactly sure about it! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> When you made the first book, did you know you were going
to make a more?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yPCxmv-y0FY/UGlOj-FErkI/AAAAAAAAGoM/_9SV1jVEjQE/s1600/fruitful.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yPCxmv-y0FY/UGlOj-FErkI/AAAAAAAAGoM/_9SV1jVEjQE/s200/fruitful.jpg" width="144" /></a><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>When I finished the first book, there were all these
folktales left over that I didn't get to use. And I had the beginnings of a new story forming in my head,
so I wanted to do a second book.
There was supposed to be a third one, but all my ideas for the third
book got squished into the second one... <i>Ha ha...</i> So I'm kind of out of ideas
now!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Uh oh.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>But I do know for the third one, I want it to deal with
water. Where the Mountain Meets
the Moon deals with the sky... the heavens. Starry River of the Sky deals with the earth... the
mountain. And I wanted the last
one to deal with the oceans or the seas.
That was the idea for doing a third one... although I still have to work
on what it's exactly going to be about.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> How did you feel when you got a Newbery Honor for
Mountain Meets the Moon? Did you
jump up and down and do a happy dance?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>I did actually!
It's every author's dream to win one of these big awards. But you don't even want to think about
it ahead of time because it's such a big deal and you don't want to jinx
yourself. So the night before they
announced the awards, all these people started saying, "I heard a lot of
buzz that your book might win something tomorrow." And I said, "Don't tell me! I
don't want to hear anymore!"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <i>Ha ha ha!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>My editor said, "I have to get up super early, like
five in the morning, for award day tomorrow." And I said, "Don't tell me! Don't tell me!" But of course I got it in my mind that
the awards would be <i>announced</i> at five in the morning. So the next morning at 5:00, I woke
up. No one is calling. And I thought, "Oh I didn't
win." Then 6:00. Nobody calls. "Oh, I didn't win... That's so sad...
Who cares... It doesn't
matter... Newbery
Schmubery..."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><b>Kids: </b>Ha ha ha ha...</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Then at 10:00 I got a phone call: "You got a
Newbery Honor!" I had
already gone into a whole circle of -- who cares, it's not a big deal. Then I had to go back -- Oh, I guess it
is a big deal! It was a really
exciting morning.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vVxbegmbc4s/UGlQC4Xe9DI/AAAAAAAAGoU/w07n5ssEcJA/s1600/gate.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vVxbegmbc4s/UGlQC4Xe9DI/AAAAAAAAGoU/w07n5ssEcJA/s200/gate.jpg" width="143" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> One final question...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> What's the best thing about making chapter books versus
the best thing about making picture books?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>One of the reasons I love writing chapter books is
because of things like this -- getting to talk to you, the actual readers of
the book. With picture books I do
sometimes get to talk to the readers, but usually they are very, very small -
very young - and they don't say as much.
Whereas the readers of chapter books have so much they want to talk
about and so many things they want to ask... I really, really enjoy that. I really like the readers'
feedback for chapter books. That's
why I love doing them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <i>(sweetly)</i> Awwww... <i>We're</i> the best thing about chapter
books?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><b>All: </b>Laughter</i><br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>Yes, you are! Definitely!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> That's so sweet, thank-you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Well thank-you for the conversation, Grace Lin!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It was nice meeting your voice!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Grace Lin: </span>It was nice meeting you! I'm glad you like the book.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Oh, we loved it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pBhRxBsfwwI/UGlRJ6PcEuI/AAAAAAAAGos/vNVmaT6V5-A/s1600/LilyStarry.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="227" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pBhRxBsfwwI/UGlRJ6PcEuI/AAAAAAAAGos/vNVmaT6V5-A/s320/LilyStarry.gif" width="320" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><b>chasing after Rendi</b>, by Lily</i> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rzrEeGwjIb4/UGlRHkSyK1I/AAAAAAAAGoc/szd9VlcU0Uo/s1600/GraceStarry.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rzrEeGwjIb4/UGlRHkSyK1I/AAAAAAAAGoc/szd9VlcU0Uo/s320/GraceStarry.gif" width="256" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><b>WangYi visiting the Moon Lady</b>, by Gracie</i> </div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VyNMv6KgfSo/UGlRJPebm2I/AAAAAAAAGok/w1BVWqYdYAE/s1600/IsaacStarry.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VyNMv6KgfSo/UGlRJPebm2I/AAAAAAAAGok/w1BVWqYdYAE/s320/IsaacStarry.gif" width="251" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><b>white tiger changing into a man</b>, by Isaac</i> </div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://www.gracelinblog.com/" target="_blank">Grace Lin</a><br />
Published - October 2, 2012: <a href="http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/kids_books_9780316125956.htm" target="_blank">Little Brown</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316125954/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0316125954&linkCode=as2&tag=bookwoog-20" target="_blank">Here it is...</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bookwoog-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0316125954" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" />
<br />
<br /></div>
Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-35444309785143616222012-07-23T08:00:00.000-04:002015-10-02T11:18:25.217-04:00Review #118: Mal and Chad<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--4jGTMAiuYs/UAxSbpIAP4I/AAAAAAAAGmw/0_hRzRjL04E/s1600/MalChad_cvr-7.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--4jGTMAiuYs/UAxSbpIAP4I/AAAAAAAAGmw/0_hRzRjL04E/s1600/MalChad_cvr-7.jpg" height="200" width="131" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What book are we reviewing today?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline (age 4):</span> Mal and Chad.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 9):</span> It's by Stephen McCranie. He sure can draw.
He's good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What kind of book is this?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It's a comic book.
A graphic novel. And there is a sequel.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age 6):</span> I like these kind of longer books best. The longer they get, the better they
are. There is more exciting stuff.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> This is an adventure story. It's interesting - very interesting and fun.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Who is the star of the story?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> There's this kid named Mal. His real name is Malison.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Malison?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Malcoe.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Malcoe??</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I don't know!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Malcolm.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah!
Malcolm! And he has a dog
named Chad.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Chad talks - which most dogs can't do. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Having a talking dog would be awesome! Then I would be able to know what dogs
are actually saying.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> The dog eats person-food because he doesn't like dog
food. It's yucky. If I ate dog food, I would try to throw
it up in a bucket.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> If Evie ate dog food, she would have to get her belly
pumped.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Tell me more about Mal. Was he a normal boy?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> No. He's a
genius. But he doesn't want anyone
to know that he's a genius who could go to college -- he wants to stay in
his class with Megan, the prettiest girl in the world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> The girl in the book is my favorite. That one. And I like those two girls too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What kinds of things could Mal do?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Build a whole bunch of inventions.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Big brother Isaac is the inventor in our house.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah but Isaac is not as smart as Mal. Isaac builds little models of robots
that don't work.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> But Mal made a backpack that could fly. And he made a rocket ship. I would love to ride in it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> And he made a Yum-Sauce. Which I want!
It makes any yucky food taste like your favorite food. Actually, before I even read this book,
I always wished I had a superpower where I could think of food tasting like
something else and it would taste like that thing. That would be awesome.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So Mal invented the superpower you always wanted.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah. He
also has this rubber ducky -- a modified rubber ducky. He squeezes it, and it turns into a
giant duck boat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> And Mal made this thing that sucked him up, and he
shrinked. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> They shrank themselves with an old vacuum cleaner that
Mal modified. They wanted to try
out scuba diving, so they shrank and went into the sink. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> There's a straw they slide down like a waterslide into
the sink.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> They licked some suckers that are very special -- suckers
that he modified.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I think "Modified" is the word of the day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> They lick the modified suckers, and then they can hold
their breath underwater for a whole entire hour. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> When I was a kid, I used to imagine that I could shrink
down little and run around the house.
I would take my Star Wars figures and crouch down so I could see things
from their size and pretend I was climbing up bookshelves and chairs and
swinging around on curtains. Do
you guys ever imagine things like that?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Yeah, I always pretend that I can turn Polly Pocket
sized, and then I can wear all their clothes and run around in their clothes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> But Pollys don't have underwear! You wouldn't have underwear on!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What would you do if you could shrink, Elijah?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I would take my stuffed animals and pretend there is a
giant animal that is going to eat me.
Then I would take another animal and kill that animal. And then another animal to kill <i>that</i>
animal. I would keep going until
there was only one left, then I would eat that animal.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Lovely.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Ha ha hah!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What's one other major thing that Mal invented?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> He made an elevator that could hop away.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Did the elevator go up and down?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> No, it did something weird. It hops around in different places. Not like the elevator at our library -
that one goes up and down. Mal's
elevator went to places. It went
way far away. To dinosaurs!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It's an elevator time machine. A MODIFIED elevator.
So they go back in time to dinosaur times. When they get there they see weird lumpies in the water, but
it's just the noses of longneck dinosaurs underwater.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Then there was a dinosaur egg that was cracking. But just a little one came out. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> He was a cute little squeaky one!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> They named him Charlie.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Then there was a dinosaur behind them. A big one. And it chased them away! Then it crashed all of them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> A killer dinosaur adventure!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> If you had genius inventing powers, what would you make?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I would invent a robotic bed. It could turn into a house. And it can turn into a robot pizza that spies on people when
it shrinks. It could throw off
pepperonis at people to kill bad guys.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Lovely. What if
you could have any of <i>Mal's</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> inventions,
which one of those would you pick?</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--4jGTMAiuYs/UAxSbpIAP4I/AAAAAAAAGmw/0_hRzRjL04E/s1600/MalChad_cvr-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I want the duck boat.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Yeah - that duck boat was awesome! But I would want the time machine. I would go to Viking days. Actually, first I would get a
dinosaur. Then I would take him to
the Viking place so he could eat all the Vikings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Lovely. So
if Elijah was a genius, apparently he would be an <i>evil</i> genius.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Hee hee hee ha hah!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> His plans would involve attacking different things
throughout history. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Mal only used his powers to keep people safe.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aTvp9uBgA1o/UAxTZIxRVNI/AAAAAAAAGnA/b6ZCRedTVLE/s1600/EvieMalchad.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aTvp9uBgA1o/UAxTZIxRVNI/AAAAAAAAGnA/b6ZCRedTVLE/s320/EvieMalchad.gif" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Mal, Chad, and Megan</b>, by Evangeline</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G0DZ114aj6U/UAxTYedlbII/AAAAAAAAGm4/IhCPxEh7N9M/s1600/ElijahMalchad.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G0DZ114aj6U/UAxTYedlbII/AAAAAAAAGm4/IhCPxEh7N9M/s320/ElijahMalchad.gif" height="320" width="252" /></a> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>running from a pterodactyl toward the time machine</b>, </i><br />
<i>by Elijah</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KO05oEwvua4/UAxTZoIk_vI/AAAAAAAAGnI/EgCDXJWvhrM/s1600/LilyMalchad.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KO05oEwvua4/UAxTZoIk_vI/AAAAAAAAGnI/EgCDXJWvhrM/s320/LilyMalchad.gif" height="220" width="320" /></a><i> </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Mal, Charlie, and Chad riding their duckie past a longneck</b>, </i><br />
<i>by Lily</i><i> </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i> </i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://malandchad.com/" target="_blank">Stephen McCranie</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Published, 2011: <a href="http://us.penguingroup.com/nf/Search/QuickSearchProc/1,,Author_1000074719,00.html" target="_blank">Philomel</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/mn/search/?_encoding=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&field-keywords=%26%2334%3BMal%20and%20Chad%26%2334%3B&linkCode=ur2&tag=bookwoog-20&url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks" target="_blank">Here it is</a><br />
<br /></div>
Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-63781803851608378712012-07-05T08:00:00.000-04:002015-04-20T14:25:49.771-04:00Interview #16: Lane Smith
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t65pT6hFnd8/T_Se4gwUrNI/AAAAAAAAGl4/ZDSGHCwddx0/s1600/LaneSmithGracie.gif" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t65pT6hFnd8/T_Se4gwUrNI/AAAAAAAAGl4/ZDSGHCwddx0/s320/LaneSmithGracie.gif" height="320" width="233" /></a><i>Out of literally hundreds of newly released picture books that I read in 2011, </i>my<i> favorite of the year was "Grandpa Green" by Lane Smith. Clearly it was a favorite for many because it received a Caldecott Honor, announced in January and presented in ceremony just last week. The kids and I are delighted that Lane Smith set aside some time to have a conversation with us about his latest achievement! Author and illustrator of many books, Mr. Smith is probably best known for "The Stinky Cheese Man" (also a Caldecott recipient) which he made with Jon Scieszka. Another family favorite is "The Happy Hocky Family" which the kiddos <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/2009/12/review-52-happy-hocky-family.html" target="_blank">reviewed a couple years ago.</a> Thanks so much to Mr. Smith for the fun conversation! </i><br />
<i>(Portrait provided by Gracie)</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>We'll start with a Bookie Woogie review of Grandpa Green: </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596436077/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1596436077" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -0.5em; margin-left: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6cBgQLTOvf0/Tw_eLWNij5I/AAAAAAAAGOA/ToaTyEBvwy4/s1600/Grandpa_Green.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697016340169265042" style="height: 152px; width: 200px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> At first glance, what does this book appear to be about?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 11):</span> A little boy and a bunch of trees.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> But what do you find if you look closer?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 13):</span> The grandpa's life story.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And if you look even closer, what do you discover?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Symbolism. I think the book is about time passing and about memories.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It's a deep story. Very deep.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> And it's gorgeous.
It has really amazing artwork.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> The art tells more of the story than the words do. The words alone might be boring without
the pictures. But the art turns
the story into something awesome.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> The book is about this nice old guy who keeps forgetting
things. But he starts telling his
life story through his garden.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 9):</span> He had a big life.
The grandpa put his story into all the bushes that he carved.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> And the
little boy gets to run through the garden and figure the story out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> He shows his life through leaves... A lovely life through leaves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> That's why there is an elephant on the cover. Because an elephant never forgets.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> And the garden doesn't forget either.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How did the story make you feel?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Like old people are freaking awesome.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> The art in "Grandpa Green" is very different than in Lane
Smith's other books. I didn't even
know this book was by the same dude at first. His older books look bold and solid with lots of
shading. This book is more open
and spaced out with lots of spots left white.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <i>(flipping through the book)</i> I <i>LOVE </i>this picture.
I <i>love</i> that tree.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It's the best climbing tree ever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> No two trees in this book are alike.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Some are loose and hangy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> But I love this tree. It's all old and you can see the roots sticking up out of
the ground. It's so detailed. The branches are all twisty. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> They go every-which-way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> It makes me want to jump into the book and make a tree
house. It's the perfect tree for a
tree house! It's the world's best
climbing tree, freaking-ever!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHD8uBofme4/T_QX4sfwxwI/AAAAAAAAGlI/XXSbH8HS174/s1600/tree+4%28final%29.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dHD8uBofme4/T_QX4sfwxwI/AAAAAAAAGlI/XXSbH8HS174/s400/tree+4%28final%29.jpg" height="156" width="400" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>And now a Bookie Woogie conversation with Lane Smith: </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Hi!!!
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Well hey! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Congratulations on winning your Caldecott Honor!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Yeah, that was cool! They gave me one 20 years ago for "The Stinky Cheese
Man," so I figure if they just give me one every 20 years I'll be happy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Kids:</span> <i>Ha ha ha hee ha!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Were you really excited when you got the phone call and
found out you'd won?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Actually when they called I wasn't there. I was outside playing with my two cats,
Noodle and Pretzel.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Noodle and Pretzel! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Then I remembered it was announcement day, so I went into
my office and found the voicemail saying that I'd won and had missed their
call. So I had to call them back
and admit that I wasn't waiting breathlessly by the phone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And you attended the Caldecott award ceremony just last
week, right?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Yeah. This
year it was held in Anaheim, and 35 years ago I used to work in Anaheim - I was
a janitor at Disneyland.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Cool!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>I used to walk around with my pan and broom and sweep up
popcorn outside It's a Small World.
I remember seeing those topiaries in front of the ride, studying how
they were made and how they grew.
Who would think that 35 years later I'd do a book called "Grandpa Green"
about topiaries and that when they gave me the award, I'd be back in Disneyland
Country picking it up. That was
kind of fun.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> When you win a Caldecott, do they give you an actual
medal? Or a certificate? Or do they just give you stickers on
your book?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>You get a sticker on your book, which is very cool. But also, on award night the gold medal
winner gets a big gold medal. Then
the Honor winners get a shiny plaque with a silver sticker on it. But the plaque is pretty cool. And you also get free cake and free
chicken and all kinds of good stuff.
<i>Ha ha...</i><span style="font-style: normal;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Where are you going to keep your plaque?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XLCYz4cV1KA/T_QagiFUJpI/AAAAAAAAGlU/4Qtk2ZnBHo4/s1600/stinky-cheeseman-15909493.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -0.5em; margin-left: 1em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XLCYz4cV1KA/T_QagiFUJpI/AAAAAAAAGlU/4Qtk2ZnBHo4/s200/stinky-cheeseman-15909493.jpeg" height="200" width="159" /></a><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>The first plaque I won for "The Stinky Cheese Man" I gave
to my mom. And the new one I got
for "Grandpa Green" I gave to my wife Molly who does all the typography on my
books with me. She has a separate
office near mine, so I gave her the plaque.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> How do you work on the books with your wife... Do you sit right next to each other, or
do you send each other stuff?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>When we lived in New York City, we had our little desks
side by side. But I think my music
was driving her crazy. So when we
bought a new house in Connecticut, she made sure I had a whole separate
building to work in. <i>Ha ha
ha...</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> She likes it quiet?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>No... She
doesn't like it quiet... She just
doesn't like my music!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Kids:</span> <i>Ha ha ha hah...</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>If I'm working on a book about sailors, I like to play old
sea chanteys. And if I'm working
on a book about the West, I like to play old cowboy music. It drives her a little nuts. But in her office she has a t.v. with
the Food Network playing all day long, and that drives me crazy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> That might be good accompaniment for Stinky Cheese Man
paintings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Right, programs about cheese and olives and bacon. Well, I now work in a 100 year old
schoolhouse...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> That's pretty cool.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>And she works in another building a field away. Each day we email our work back and forth. Then at some point I call her up and
say, "Hey, let's go to lunch."
<i>Ha ha...</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> That's when we get
together.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> When you were working on "Grandpa Green," did it feel
different -- were you thinking it could win an award?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dRDe3NtBgW4/T_QbYcTmAgI/AAAAAAAAGlc/NEJjgExeaVA/s1600/rooster+4%28final%29.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -0.5em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dRDe3NtBgW4/T_QbYcTmAgI/AAAAAAAAGlc/NEJjgExeaVA/s1600/rooster+4%28final%29.jpg" height="155" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>No, I really didn't. You never know which books will
catch on and which ones won't. You just have to keep on doing them. I got lucky with one.
Woo hoo! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Hopefully with many more to come!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>It was a nice surprise to win an award. Those committees have 15 different
judges that have to agree on your book.
My work is always so weird, I just figure it's never going to win
anything. I love the Caldecotts,
and I love the books that get picked every year, but I just figure those aren't the
kind of books that I do.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> We noticed that Grandpa Green is different from your
other books. It is deeper and more
serious.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Yeah, it was more serious than my other goofy books. So I suppose it had that in it's favor.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> What inspired that change? Why did you decide to do a book like this?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Hmmm, I don't really know where that came from. I'm getting older now... so maybe I was
thinking more seriously about life.
About one life. About
putting a whole life into one book.
How could I do that symbolically?
Instead of literally showing a picture of a little boy and then a
picture of a teenager and then a man, I thought it would be interesting to show
it all through trees and plants.
Visually it's more interesting.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> So the grandpa's life was the starting point for the book
and not the trees?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Well, it was probably a combination. From the visual standpoint, I've always
wanted to do something with topiaries.
And I've always wanted to try a book with one color throughout, so I
wanted to keep the palette all green.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> We loved that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>It was an interesting challenge. Because I also wanted to keep the boy
in simple, uncolored outlines. But
in order to achieve that, I could never put him in front of a bush or he would
look like a white ghost. I always
had to figure out a way to leave a white space open on the page for the boy so
I could draw him in an outline.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> That's cool...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> We'll look for that when we read it now!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> If you could trim your own real hedge, what shape would
you make it?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ttef773B9YM/T_Skcpifl8I/AAAAAAAAGmU/Wxz1GKewQXI/s1600/wolf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t77YwX_kbKY/T_SiNmQ_NvI/AAAAAAAAGmM/v2l0CCMc7W0/s1600/cheese.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -0.5em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t77YwX_kbKY/T_SiNmQ_NvI/AAAAAAAAGmM/v2l0CCMc7W0/s200/cheese.jpg" height="200" width="158" /></a><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>When we moved to the country and got a big backyard, I
always thought I was going to make a giant Stinky Cheese Man topiary. But I never got around to it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> That would be awesome!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <i>Hee hee hee!</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Does the Stinky Cheese Man stalk you everywhere you
go? Do you enjoy that he's still
so popular, or does it start getting annoying that he always keeps coming up?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>You can't get away from stinky cheese... it stinks too
bad. No, it's really an honor to
have done a book that is over 20 years old, is still in print, and people still
know about it. I'm happy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> That's good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>When you meet people for the first time, they'll say,
"Well, what do you do."
And - you probably get this, Aaron - you say, "I do kids
books." And they'll say,
"Do I know any of them? Name some!" And I'll start naming them... "Never heard of it. Never heard of it. Never heard of it." But if I say "Stinky Cheese Man," most of
them will say, "Oh, I know that one!"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> That happens to Daddy with "The Hiccupotamus."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <i>Ha ha, </i><span style="font-style: normal;">Oh, I
wish...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Yeah!
Everyone knows that book, come on!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Yesterday when we were preparing for this interview, I
gathered up all your books that we have in the house. The kids and I were about to go over "The Stinky Cheese
Man" again, and my wife came
over from the other side of the room.
She knows about the book, but had never read it. She said, in sort of a challenge,
"Okay, I'm going to listen to this one and see if it's worthy of all the
hype it gets."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> She started <i>cracking</i> up when we were reading "The Stinky
Cheese Man." My Mom was laughing
her head off.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Oh, that's good that it still holds up!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So she's a fan of that one now too.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SyVe0otTgEI/AAAAAAAADME/Mwh55aC96H4/s1600-h/Hocky.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YSy_RzgZt5g/SyVe0otTgEI/AAAAAAAADME/Mwh55aC96H4/s200/Hocky.jpg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414838385356537922" style="float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 160px;" /></a><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> My Mom also says she has a great amount of respect for
anyone who can think up something as awesome as "The Happy Hocky Family."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Excellent!
That's one of my favorites!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> We love "The Happy Hocky Family!"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>When I do a book signing, if there are 100 people in the
line then maybe one out of that hundred will be a Happy Hocky fan. But it's always the weirdest person in
the line. Which I like!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <i>Ha ha ha</i> --We're in good company then. That's definitely our "family
favorite."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> We have 14 of your books, and we noticed that 7 of them
you made with Jon Scieszka, and 7 you made by yourself. Half and Half. What is the best part about working on
books with other authors, and what is the best part about working on books by
yourself?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>When you read another author's manuscript for the first
time, it's already a fully formed story.
So you can already start thinking about what style and shapes and colors
you'd use. It's fun to illustrate
someone else's words... but you are interpreting <i>their</i> vision. When you write your own work, it's 100%
yourself. The themes are more
personal. And it's more exciting
because you are the writer, the director, the set designer, the actor, the
producer. That's the most
rewarding. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ttef773B9YM/T_Skcpifl8I/AAAAAAAAGmU/Wxz1GKewQXI/s1600/wolf.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: -0.5em; margin-left: 0.5em; margin-top: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ttef773B9YM/T_Skcpifl8I/AAAAAAAAGmU/Wxz1GKewQXI/s200/wolf.jpg" height="200" width="163" /></a>When I work with other
writers, I like the ones that have the same sense of humor as I do. Jon definitely has that. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Speaking of Jon Scieszka and collaborations... we thought
of some other partnerships we know.
For each pair, we want you to tell us which one is you and which one is
Jon Scieszka.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Okay...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Rocky and Bullwinkle.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: <i> </i></span><i>Ah, ha ha!</i>
Jon would be Bullwinkle. I
would be Rocky -- I think he was a little smarter than Bullwinkle even though
he was shorter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Peanut Butter and Jelly.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Oh, that's a good one. I would be peanut butter. I don't even think Jon likes peanut butter. But I have to have it every day. I would be peanut butter. And I would be <i>smooth... Jif... </i>peanut butter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Absolutely!
That's the only <i>real </i>peanut butter there is, right?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>You don't want that chunky Peter Pan! No way.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Next one... Legolas and Gimli.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Who???</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> From Lord of the Rings?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>I never read those books! In highschool, all the nerdy guys were reading Lord of the
Rings and I thought I was too cool for that. Of course they thought <i>I</i> was a nerd because I was reading
Spiderman. I'll have to pass on
that one...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Calvin and Hobbes.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>That's a tough one too. I was always more of a Peanuts fan.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <i>Gasp --</i> I <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-08-08T08%3A00%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=1" target="_blank">LOVE</a> PEANUTS!!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Excellent!
They were a big influence on my work.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> So I'm going to change the pair: Snoopy and Woodstock.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Excellent. I
want to be Snoopy. He had the best
imagination, pretending to be the Red Barron... Jon can be Woodstock with the word balloon over his head
full of "dit dit dit dit dit..."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Are you Lucy or Ricky?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span><i>Ha ha!</i><i> </i> Lucy
or Ricky? Is that what you
asked? I would be Ricky
Ricardo. But Jon wouldn't be Lucy,
he'd be Fred Mertz. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And your reason....
Is it hairlines?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span><i>Ha ha ha hah ha...</i><i> </i>
No, he's the obnoxious neighbor coming over to bug me. <i>Ha ha ha...</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Here's the last one...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Pooh and Tigger.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span><i>Ha ha hah!
</i>I'm going to say I would be Tigger. And Jon would be <i>Poo'</i><span style="font-style: normal;">
- for obvious reasons.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Kids:</span> <i>HAH ha ha hah ha haaa ha haaa!</i><span style="font-style: normal;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Well, thanks so much for talking with us! And again, congratulations on your win.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> You totally deserved it. I love your "Grandpa Green" book.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Well thank-you.
I'll be looking for all of your books when you kids start publishing
your own. It was great talking
with you guys. Hey, where are you
guys calling from?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> We're in Michigan.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Excellent.
That's the land of Scieszka.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Yep... He grew up here.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I didn't know that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>And Laurie Keller is there, right?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Yes. Not far
from us. We run into her every
once in a while.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>She does good work.
The next time you see her, give her a doughnut from me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> We actually <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2010-06-28T08%3A00%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=1" target="_blank">went to her house once</a> and she served us
doughnuts. It was the coolest
thing ever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Ha! I think
she has a doughnut factory hidden on her property.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> If we visit you, will you give us stinky cheese?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Lane Smith: </span>Yeah, if you guys come visit me, I will personally give
each of you a big chunk of stinky cheese and make sure you eat it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Awww....</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Afterward we'll trim your hedges for you.</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mhmTuuAEKtM/T_Se4b98jmI/AAAAAAAAGlw/9kiaTfrDgeU/s1600/IsaacGreen.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mhmTuuAEKtM/T_Se4b98jmI/AAAAAAAAGlw/9kiaTfrDgeU/s320/IsaacGreen.gif" height="246" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>garden</b>, by Isaac</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4kdm-nhSUE/T_Se5RZYfbI/AAAAAAAAGmA/ylGaZE1wmV8/s1600/LilyGreen.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z4kdm-nhSUE/T_Se5RZYfbI/AAAAAAAAGmA/ylGaZE1wmV8/s320/LilyGreen.gif" height="320" width="270" /></a></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>Lily hedge</b>, by Lily</i><br />
<br />
<i> </i><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TBhat4OvIc4/T_Se3RHZpRI/AAAAAAAAGlo/0XbSZBBVzR4/s1600/GraceGreen.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TBhat4OvIc4/T_Se3RHZpRI/AAAAAAAAGlo/0XbSZBBVzR4/s320/GraceGreen.gif" height="216" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b>tree</b>, by Gracie</i></div>
<br /></div>
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://www.lanesmithbooks.com/" target="_blank">Lane Smith</a><br />
Published, 2011: <a href="http://us.macmillan.com/grandpagreen/LaneSmith" target="_blank">Roaring Brook Press</a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1596436077/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1596436077" target="_blank">Here it is</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bookwoog-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1596436077" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-25498045929038716392012-04-30T08:00:00.000-04:002015-10-02T11:16:33.222-04:00Review #117: The Order of Odd-Fish<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DXZEr2cPPLA/T55gsiWyK8I/AAAAAAAAGfs/75aTEy81bXg/s1600/odd-fish-pb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DXZEr2cPPLA/T55gsiWyK8I/AAAAAAAAGfs/75aTEy81bXg/s200/odd-fish-pb.jpg" width="121" /></a><span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-size: small; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 11):</span><span style="font-size: small;"> We are reviewing The Order
of Odd-Fish, and it is <i>SO</i>
weird. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 13):</span> <span style="font-size: small;">It is crazy. You will
never read anything else like this.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 9):</span> <span style="font-size: small;">It's very odd. And you don't know what's going to
happen next... so it's also kind of fishy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">Silly. And sometimes it's nerve-racking and
suspenseful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">From the very fist page we
could tell this book was a little different. But when did we know this book was totally off the
rails? When did we know that we
were in for a very strange experience?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">The flying head. The first
weird thing that happens is Mr. Cavendish's head flies off...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">Well, that's not the FIRST
weird thing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">Oh yeah... before that,
there's this giant talking cockroach...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">That's not even the first
weird thing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">There's a guy with this
weird <i>digestion...</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">THAT's not even the first
weird thing!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <span style="font-size: small;"><i>HA ha ha ha!</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">Colonel Korsakov comes
along and he's got this magic digestion that tells him what to do. So it's like... 'okay, that's
weird.' But by the time you get to
the 3rd chapter in the book, talking digestions don't seem weird at all because
Mr. Cavendish's head flies off and starts buzzing all over the room!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">It was very crazy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">The main character is Jo,
and she works at a diner. The only
people in the whole town are old senior citizens. Her Aunt Lily, who is kind of nutso, finds this black box,
and she says, "I'm going to do a magic show!" She stuck the box on Mr. Cavendish's
head and cranked it, and Mr. Cavendish's head popped out of the box and started
flying around! And there was this
crazy lady who started throwing waffles everywhere trying to hit the head. All the old ladies were like,
"Catch him! Bring him
back!" And all the old men were like, "Go, Mr. Cavendish! Be freeeee!" That's when we first thought, <i>"What
the heck is up with this book?"
</i>I was laughing so hard.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">Okay, let's back
up. Tell me more about our main
character Jo.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">Jo is all mysterious. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">When she showed up as a baby, a note came with her. "This is Jo. Beware... she is a dangerous
baby." <i>Bum-bum-BUM!</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">There was a really bad
prophecy about her that said she was a monster called the Ichthala. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">It's going to destroy the
world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">But Jo doesn't want to
become a monster. Everybody wants
to kill the Ichthala. But they
don't know that it is Jo -- only she knows.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">She feels like a living
lie.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">She doesn't know what to
do. She wants to tell somebody,
but everyone will freak out and hate her.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">So that's something you
don't always see... The main character of our story is the hero AND the villain.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">There were lots of
villains. Ken Kiang is a
millionaire who is attempting to be evil.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">He wants to be the most
evil person ever, but he can't because the Belgian Prankster is the worst.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">The Belgian Prankster can
pluck his nose off and grow a stinger.
He also is really good at making balloon animals.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">And he filled the Grand
Canyon with tapioca pudding.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-size: small;"><i>Tsk tsk...</i> how evil of
him. And tell us, what exactly is
the Order of Odd-Fish from the title?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">The Odd-Fish live on this
island. Jo and her friends get
there after being swallowed and spit out of a big fish. Colonel Korsakov was like,
"Halleluiah! I'm in a giant
digestion!" The Order of
Odd-Fish is an organization made up of all these knights that study ludicrous
things. Like... the leader is Sir
Oliver, and he studies "Dithering." Sir Festus studies insane weaponry. Sir Alasdair and Dame Isabel study
weird musical instruments and interesting smells.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">All the knights get a
flying ostrich, and they ride all around on them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">The book has very weird
creatures. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">Flying ostriches, talking
cockroaches, Nangnangs, the Schwenk...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">The Schwenk is a creature
with four wings and it's very colorful.
It likes to be hunted.
Colonel Korsakov has a quest...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">He's the
"digestion" guy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">He has to capture the
Schwenk. That was his life's
goal. But the Schwenk always gets
away before he catches it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">There are also howling
squids. Jo and her friends go over
to a big pit and get swallowed up into water. Then they ride around on squids in
the diamond-walled tunnels and get chased by evil underground monkeys.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">It's not something you see
everyday.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">It's freaking awesome.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">This is nothing like any
other book. It's so weird. This
guy has an awesome imagination. I
love whoever wrote this book.
James Kennedy rocks. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">The book is packed full of
crazy. So much more. We haven't even begun to scratch the
surface.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-size: small;">Kids will love this
book... Unless you are some abnormal kid that likes broccoli and is all serious
about the world.</span></div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p_qGaYWIDyQ/T55e2s_w3oI/AAAAAAAAGfU/DxzgRfMGRPA/s1600/GraceOddfish.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qY1ai94X0HA/T55e41kww-I/AAAAAAAAGfk/WMfEVhCdVq4/s1600/LilyOddfish.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qY1ai94X0HA/T55e41kww-I/AAAAAAAAGfk/WMfEVhCdVq4/s1600/LilyOddfish.gif" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<i><b>underground squid riding</b>, by Lily</i> </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p_qGaYWIDyQ/T55e2s_w3oI/AAAAAAAAGfU/DxzgRfMGRPA/s1600/GraceOddfish.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p_qGaYWIDyQ/T55e2s_w3oI/AAAAAAAAGfU/DxzgRfMGRPA/s1600/GraceOddfish.gif" width="320" /></a> </div>
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<i><b>Mr. Cavendish's flying head</b>, by Gracie</i> </div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVs_G6ZP90g/T55e3V3dZ5I/AAAAAAAAGfc/ZM2L5g0oN7Y/s1600/IsaacOddfish.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZVs_G6ZP90g/T55e3V3dZ5I/AAAAAAAAGfc/ZM2L5g0oN7Y/s1600/IsaacOddfish.gif" width="311" /> </a></div>
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<i><b>Ken Kiang rides the schwenk</b>, by Isaac</i> </div>
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Author: <a href="http://jameskennedy.com/" target="_blank">James Kennedy</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">Published, 2008: <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/book/91572/the-order-of-odd-fish-by-james-kennedy" target="_blank">Random House</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;">Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440240654/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0440240654" target="_blank">Here it is</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bookwoog-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0440240654" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span></div>
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Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-46383995597013758992012-04-23T07:00:00.000-04:002013-12-16T09:25:27.598-05:00Linkin' blogsI visit lots and lots of blogs in my own personal efforts to keep tabs on the world of children's literature. Out of hundreds of sites, there are four that rise to the tip of the top, and I have permanent links to them at the bottom of that column to the right. The links have been there for years, but I've never called attention to them before... so I thought I'd do so now! And I had fun making a little piece of art to accompany each one. These are the 4 sites that I consider to be the very Best of the Kidlitosphere...<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/" target="_blank">A Fuse #8 Production:</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9BzBm4CmqBs/T5Uk9FHUIgI/AAAAAAAAGfA/z1J8HoFg7lk/s200/AaronZenzFuse8.gif" title="A Fuse #8 Production" width="200" /></a>Betsy Bird, a New York children's librarian, is hands down Queen of the Kidlitosphere. Her blog "A Fuse Number 8 Production" was picked up by School Library Journal a number of years ago, and for good reason. She has an addictive style of writing, comprehensive kitlit content, and an insane posting frequency. And the list of links <i>she</i> has on her page will take you anywhere that's worthy of going in the children's literature world. Her blog is a required daily stop for me. In fact, I discovered her Fuse 8 shortly after she started it around 2005/2006. I do believe I've visited the site for every entry she has ever posted.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/" target="_blank">Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast:</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_3PU0z2gB3g/T5Uk7noiAGI/AAAAAAAAGew/4dE8W9HqxNs/s200/AaronZenz7Imp.gif" width="200" /></a>7-Imp is the single greatest online resource for lovers of picture book illustration. Jules Danielson regularly highlights, celebrates, and champions wonderful and diverse illustration art. She interviews top illustrators working today. She also features right-out-of-school, up and coming illustrators. Publishers send her art to showcase from upcoming releases before you can see it anywhere else in the world. And in my own opinion, her annual <a href="http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/?p=2269" target="_blank">year-end recaps</a> are the single greatest thing on the web -- I daresay they justify the existence of the internet.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://justonemorebook.com/" target="_blank">Just One More Book:</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://justonemorebook.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--9N7p6GoDms/T5Uk62vjFJI/AAAAAAAAGeo/6OZ_S5SghRs/s200/1MoreAaronZenz.jpg" width="200" /></a>In this podcast, a husband & wife team simply sit at their local coffee shop and carry on casual, honest, insightful conversations about the children's books they love. Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross are great people, and the amazing website they managed to create was the direct inspiration for our family to start Bookie Woogie. Although the podcast ended a few years ago, all the content is still on the site, and the vast Archive is an invaluable treasure trove of information. In addition to all the wonderful books they've highlighted, there are countless hours of interviews they conducted with some of the best storytellers in the world. It will forever be an amazing resource.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://writerjenn.blogspot.com/p/creative-spaces.html" target="_blank">"Creative Spaces" on From the Mixed-Up Files:</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://writerjenn.blogspot.com/p/creative-spaces.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-s60kevH4mCQ/T5Uk8F0hz5I/AAAAAAAAGe4/gXlVID5lvT4/s200/AaronZenzCreativeSpaces.gif" width="200" /></a>Jennifer Bertman invites children's book authors and illustrators to share information about the places where they work - complete with photos! We get to read about and see those sacred spots where the magic happens. At last count around 75 (!!!) studio spots have been shared, with more continually being added. While all the interviews are great, I made the little illustration here in honor of my <i>favorite</i> post. Have fun perusing the great list of creators - but before you stop, do make sure you check out Dianne deGroat's studio!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And, oh, golly... I can't just stop there. I could list dozens upon dozens more... But I'll give 10 more sites - I'll type up the first 10 that come to mind. These are also sites that I love and visit on a regular basis:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://100scopenotes.com/" target="_blank">• 100 Scopes Notes</a><br />
<a href="http://www.playingbythebook.net/" target="_blank">• Playing by the Book</a><br />
<a href="http://taralazar.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">• Writing for Kids (While Raising Them)</a><br />
<a href="http://katiedavis.com/category/podcast/" target="_blank">• Brain Burps About Books </a><br />
<a href="http://www.brimfulcuriosities.com/" target="_blank">• Brimful Curiosities</a> <br />
<a href="http://www.readingtoknow.com/" target="_blank">• Reading to Know</a><br />
<a href="http://www.books4yourkids.com/" target="_blank">• Books 4 Your Kids</a><br />
<a href="http://adamrex.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">• Adam Rex</a><br />
<a href="http://lauramitolife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">• Laura's Life </a><br />
<a href="http://bluerosegirls.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">• Blue Rose Girls </a><br />
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Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-12670613142410400822012-04-09T08:00:00.021-04:002013-04-15T08:08:55.304-04:00Interview #15: Laura Ripes<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTpj-FKk7Qg/T4KU_5ptllI/AAAAAAAAGaI/PYU2lf19960/s1600/LauraRipesGracie.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729305501497136722" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fTpj-FKk7Qg/T4KU_5ptllI/AAAAAAAAGaI/PYU2lf19960/s1200/LauraRipesGracie.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 249px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">I'm happy to announce the release of Laura Ripes' debut children's book: "The Spaghetti-Slurping Sewer Serpent"! I fell in love with the story the moment I read it, and then was given the extreme privilege of bringing that story to life with illustrations. To celebrate the book's arrival, the kids and I invited Mrs. Ripes to chat with us over Skype. It's the first time author and illustrator have actually met, and the kids had some great questions for her. (Thanks to Gracie for the portrait of Mrs. Ripes!)</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />First off, a review of "The Spaghetti-Slurping Sewer Serpent" by the kiddos:</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N8Y4BJIRf50/T4KV0iyxzhI/AAAAAAAAGaU/yxCDaponaGU/s1600/Slurp.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729306405894213138" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N8Y4BJIRf50/T4KV0iyxzhI/AAAAAAAAGaU/yxCDaponaGU/s1600/Slurp.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 155px;" /></a><span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 13):</span> This book is about a kid named Sammy Sanders He thinks there's a serpent in the sewer slurping all his spaghetti.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 9):</span> So Sammy is trying to solve the mystery.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age 6):</span> He <span style="font-style: italic;">knows</span> there is a serpent because he's got all those clues.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Sammy has photographs of all the evidence he's collected. Meatballs and sauce splatters...<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> And Dad labeled all the photos with our birthdays!<br />
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline (age 4):</span> That's mine! I got a noodle! I got a noodle for my birthday!<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I got... mold.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It's not "mold." It's "molt."<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> What is molt?<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmiilEfdaw4/T4Kt-9ocgiI/AAAAAAAAGbE/CPhwMx68H8k/s1600/photos.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729332973176390178" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmiilEfdaw4/T4Kt-9ocgiI/AAAAAAAAGbE/CPhwMx68H8k/s320/photos.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 253px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Snakes shed their skin when they grow.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Ewww!</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> All their old skin peels off.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> That's <span style="font-style: italic;">still</span> as gross as mold.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What is the really cool thing about this book?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It's a super "S" book. It has tons of S's. On every page there are at least 10 S's.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Like "Sammy's sister Sally."<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> And his friends "Scott Sullivan and Steve Strauss."<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> And "salty snacks."<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 11):</span> That's called alliteration.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> It tricks your tongue sometimes.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> It makes your lips slip. It's a lip-slipper.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> We should count how many S's are in this book.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> 100.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It's funny... I'm always very aware of every "S" I say after I'm done reading this book.<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v7Ej1sKAc5Q/T4KwHXO5i2I/AAAAAAAAGcA/_MAqLFnTcDs/s1600/burblegurgle.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729335316510772066" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v7Ej1sKAc5Q/T4KwHXO5i2I/AAAAAAAAGcA/_MAqLFnTcDs/s400/burblegurgle.gif" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 400px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 222px;" /></a><span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Me too. It's SSSstrange.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Thisss SSSstory is SSSstupendous.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> SSSsuper SSSsuspenseful.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> SSSsuperb.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> If you don't like the letter S, you should burn this book alive.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Oh dear.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> But if you <span style="font-style: italic;">do</span> like the letter S, then you should read it to all your kids and elect it for president. Or senator. SSSsammy SSSsanders for SSSsenator!<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> His glasses are hilarious.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> His glasses look like big spotlights coming out of his head.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Sammy has super silly spotlight spectacles.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> This book is so fun.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> When I first saw the manuscript, I thought it was one of the most fun stories I'd ever read. I thought, "I would LOVE to illustrate this!"<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> You love drawing dragons.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Did you know this is Mrs. Ripes' first book.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> She is starting off swell.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"> And now for the interview!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>Hi!<br />
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Kids:</span> Hi!!!<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> SSSsalutations, Mrs. Ripes!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It's nice to meet you!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>It's so nice to meet all of you - to see you in person. It's exciting!<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Congratulations on your first book!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>Well thank-you very much. I'm very excited about it! Congratulations to you too, Aaron.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> We were wondering... how did you get the idea to write this story? What was the starting point? Were you wanting to write about S's? Or did you start with the characters? Or did the plot come first?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>Wanting to write a tongue-twister story came first. And I think S's are very tricky, so next I said, "I'll do an 'S' one." The actual story - the serpent in the sewer - came from my childhood. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y3OCx2uO8Wg/T4KvZO8OUzI/AAAAAAAAGbQ/MqdoAQrMpqM/s1600/G1Slurper.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729334524010976050" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-y3OCx2uO8Wg/T4KvZO8OUzI/AAAAAAAAGbQ/MqdoAQrMpqM/s400/G1Slurper.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 252px; margin: 10pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 260px;" /></a>We used to go to a park by our house, and there was this big, <span style="font-style: italic;">huuuuge</span> sewer opening. You wouldn't see them nowadays because they don't make them like that anymore. But it was big... like you could climb in it. I grew up with all boys -- brothers, cousins -- I was the only girl. And they used to always tease me and say something lived in the sewer. And I <span style="font-style: italic;">SO</span> believed them. There would always be sounds, and I'd be like, <span style="font-style: italic;">"Something's IN there!!!" </span><br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Is writing your full-time job?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>I do write all the time, so I feel like it's full-time. My real job is that I do voiceover commercial work. But I've always loved writing. I love any kind of story. Movies. Books. I love commercials. Commercials are fabulous! They are teeny, tiny, quick stories with a beginning, middle, end, and a solution. So, commercial voiceovers are my real job, but I would love to write more. If I sell more manuscripts, maybe I <span style="font-style: italic;">could</span> say it's full-time for me.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Since you have been working with S's so much for this book, do you start saying S's more?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Or do you notice "S" words more? Because whenever we look at this book, we start saying "S" words all the time!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>You don't realize how many times you use S's in sentences! And the letter S can be very difficult. When I do my voiceover commercial work, they can come out sounding very tricky -- you have to be very careful. So I thought it would be fun to have a tongue-twister story to practice working on all those S's.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> How long did it take you to write the book?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>That's an excellent question... I don't really know. I hop around. I go from story to story. I'll start to write a piece, then I'll put that one down and pick up another story I'm working on. I'll grab my notebook in the middle of the night and jot stuff down. Things are written upside down. Initially, I probably got the story figured out on paper in about a week. But I will rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. It's a long process for me.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> After you were done, how long did it take to get this book published? Did it get snatched up by the first person you sent it to? Or did you have to wait for a long time?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>I sent it out to 4 places, and didn't hear back from anyone. Then we moved, and I had to change my email address. It had been months and months since I'd sent it out, and I didn't think I was going to hear anything. We were in our new house, and I got a call on my cell phone. I <span style="font-style: italic;">almost</span> didn't pick up the phone because I didn't recognize the number and it was a weird area code. But it was the editor saying they wanted to buy the story! She said they'd been trying to contact me for a while... emailing me and calling my old house. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hV5YrsLkSI8/T4KvZUfzo3I/AAAAAAAAGbc/nhyg5m2nwvI/s1600/shhh.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729334525502399346" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hV5YrsLkSI8/T4KvZUfzo3I/AAAAAAAAGbc/nhyg5m2nwvI/s200/shhh.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 10pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 188px;" /></a>I had forgotten about the story because it had been so many months.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> How did you feel when they called you?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>I was very, very, very excited. It's a good feeling. She said, "We want to buy your manuscript!" And I was so embarrassed because I had to say, "Which one?" I had so many out there.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Did the alliteration make it easier or harder for you to write the story?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>It was hard. I was very limited in what I could say. I'd want to say a specific word, and there wouldn't be any "S" word that would fit. That was kind of tough.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Did your kids give you any suggestions on the book while you were writing it?<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>They did give me suggestions. My kids liked trying to make the tongue-twister harder all the time.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> When Daddy read it to us earlier, he slipped on a couple words.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>I love that! As a kid, I loved to hear a teacher make a mistake reading something.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> That's the best! Last night Daddy was really tired, but he was reading us a story anyway. He kept falling asleep and misreading the words. There is this character in "Marty McGuire" named Annie, and he kept calling her "Arnie... Arnie... Arnie." And we were like, "Annie! ...Annie! ...Annie!"<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>That's fun to me! And I think it's fun when adults have a hard time with tongue-twisters. Of course <span style="font-style: italic;">kids</span> can nail them.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Absolutely!<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--cybeDDYG6U/T4Kvanp3yOI/AAAAAAAAGbo/apY1X0wk4_M/s1600/slip.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729334547824756962" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--cybeDDYG6U/T4Kvanp3yOI/AAAAAAAAGbo/apY1X0wk4_M/s400/slip.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 166px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 260px;" /></a><span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>When I originally wrote this book, I wanted it to be really, <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> hard to say. But in the editing process, it was reined in a lot. The editor wanted it to be quite a bit easier. When "S" words were being pulled out, I was like... "Aghh... I'm losing my S's!" That was hard for me. But the story is still tricky. I did have the word "Scrumdiliumptious." But that got chopped.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Scrumdiliumptious!</span> That's a fun word!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>It didn't make it. That word was on the chopping block. But that's alright. I couldn't believe it... they let me keep the word "spork" in there!<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Do you have a favorite picture from the book?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> *I* have a favorite one.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>Which one is that?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> The slurper on the swing set.<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>I was just going to say that one was <span style="font-style: italic;">my</span> favorite! I wasn't going to say it out loud - I was waiting for you to go first.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> That's my favorite too. It's the first full picture where you get to see the serpent. He's all twisted around the swing set, eating spaghetti. The moon is behind him, and you can see all the lights and shadows where the moon is hitting him.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Even though it's in the middle of the story, that was the very first picture I made for the book.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Who says <span style="font-style: italic;">'save the best for last'</span>?<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U0VupfNzdEo/T4KvbC15oBI/AAAAAAAAGbw/vVPSskeOEsY/s1600/swing.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729334555122966546" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U0VupfNzdEo/T4KvbC15oBI/AAAAAAAAGbw/vVPSskeOEsY/s400/swing.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 159px; margin: 10pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 245px;" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I had a ball working on this book. I don't think I've ever turned down a manuscript because... we've got to eat. But this one was especially great to work on because I loved your story so much!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>Of course, the publisher didn't give me any say in illustrators. But when they told me the artist they had picked, I said "Oh, I love The Hiccupotamus!" I knew your books - I'd seen them before, and I thought, "Oh good!"<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> That's nice to hear!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>And I was excited to see your illustrations for this book. When I write, I have an idea of what it's going to look like... and you were right on! I was very excited you were on the same page.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Good - I'm glad to hear that. Well, I think that's all the questions we had...<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Thank-you for the interview!<br />
<span style="color: #6666cc; font-weight: bold;">Laura Ripes: </span>Thank-YOU guys! It was so nice to meet you! It's my first interview - I was really nervous.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> You did a very good job.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GYjOBEP-R40/T4KW0kYm_GI/AAAAAAAAGag/c4pEhy63Ryc/s1600/IsaacSlurper.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729307505832950882" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GYjOBEP-R40/T4KW0kYm_GI/AAAAAAAAGag/c4pEhy63Ryc/s320/IsaacSlurper.gif" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sammy spies spaghetti</span>, by Isaac</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxmHREYB0cg/T4KW86w5qWI/AAAAAAAAGa4/K1S35KJavVY/s1600/GraceSlurp.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729307649279371618" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BxmHREYB0cg/T4KW86w5qWI/AAAAAAAAGa4/K1S35KJavVY/s400/GraceSlurp.gif" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">slurping from a spaghetti stand</span><span style="font-style: italic;">, by Gracie</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-le1Fr2xgNH4/T4KW1W0xyxI/AAAAAAAAGas/9mzbXWmw_bA/s1600/LilySlurp.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5729307519372872466" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-le1Fr2xgNH4/T4KW1W0xyxI/AAAAAAAAGas/9mzbXWmw_bA/s320/LilySlurp.gif" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 238px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scott Sullivan and Steve Strauss see the serpent</span>, by Lily</span></div>
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Author: <a href="http://lauraripes.com/" target="_blank">Laura Ripes</a><br />
Illustrator: <a href="http://aaronzenz.com/" target="_blank">Aaron Zenz</a><br />
Published, April 2012: <a href="http://www.marshallcavendish.us/marshallcavendish-us/children/catalog/listing.xml" target="_blank">Marshall Cavendish</a><br />
<span style="font-size: 130%;">Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0761461019/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0761461019" target="_blank">Here it is!</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bookwoog-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0761461019" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" width="1" /></span><br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">And now it's time for a giveaway! </span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">• The prize: </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">TWO copies of "The Spaghetti-Slurping Sewer Serpent"</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> - one for you and one for you to share with a friend - both copies </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">signed</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> by Laura Ripes and myself.</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">• Entering is easy! Simply leave a comment on this post. For a bonus entry, include at least 7 "S" words tucked away anywhere in your comment - not random words, but relevant to the interview above...<br />• We'll take entries through April 22 -- Good luck!</span>Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com29tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-24518661595866331562012-03-19T08:00:00.008-04:002015-10-01T10:37:57.883-04:00Review #116: Alphabet Soup<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eFhhKuHBOdg/T2bcYo2me4I/AAAAAAAAGZE/c9kFDHgu6tM/s1600/alphsoup.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721502692462197634" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eFhhKuHBOdg/T2bcYo2me4I/AAAAAAAAGZE/c9kFDHgu6tM/s200/alphsoup.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 150px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Today we are reviewing "Alphabet Soup."<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age 6):</span> Good. Because I'm hungry.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 11):</span> I have no other words for this book except for... FREAKING AWESOMENESS! Those are my words.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It is written and illustrated by the great Scott Gustafson.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 13):</span> I love his art.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> He has the best pictures. No offense to any of my other favorite artists who might be reading this review...<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;"> "Yes, everyone stinks compared to him... but no offense..."</span><br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Ha ha ha...</span><br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 9):</span> His pictures are so detailed. The shading pops out at you.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> He does light and shadow well. He has mastery of the mystery of colors. He could probably make a donkey so realistic that people would say, "Come pull my cart, donkey."<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> It's so realistic, it probably took him 50 weeks to paint two pictures.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Tell us what the book is about...<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> This book is about an otter that buys a house. In the house he finds a dusty old soup pot. It's really big and shaped like a zucchini. He thinks, "I should have a potluck, and everyone could bring something to put in the soup."<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And who comes to the Soup Party?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> All of his alphabetically ordered friends.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> That's quite remarkable to have 26 friends who all just happen to start with different letters of the alphabet, eh?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> And they all brought food that started with the same letter as their name.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Yeah, what in the world is going on there?<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Quite a coincidence.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Like, there's a frog with flapjacks.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> And a weasel with waltzing wieners!<br />
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline (age 4):</span> Yuck!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And an elephant carrying eggplants in his ears.<br />
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Yuck!!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You wouldn't want to eat eggplants from an elephant's ears?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I wouldn't even want to eat eggplants <span style="font-style: italic;">without</span> the elephant.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I like food. But I don't like any of the food in this book -- it's all yucky food.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It's not <span style="font-style: italic;">all</span> yucky.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Dude. I wouldn't eat a soup with krill and pancakes in it.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> The pancakes aren't in the soup -- they are off to the side.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Well, I wouldn't eat a soup with krill in it.<br />
<span style="color: #cc66cc; font-weight: bold;">Evangeline:</span> Yuck!!!<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> You don't even know what krill is, Evie.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Maybe she can tell they're yucky just by looking at them.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Actually, <span style="font-style: italic;">I</span> don't even know what krill is.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Whales eat it.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So why did the koala have krill?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Maybe the koala's mother was a whale.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Who was your favorite animal in this book?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> The hedgehog.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Awww! You little...<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Grace, you stole mine!<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I was going to say him too!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Why do you guys like him?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Because he's chubby and fat and funny and cute. And he's got an awesome hat with a bunch of herbs on top.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I think <span style="font-style: italic;">all</span> of the animals are cool.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> The illustrator's style is awesome. Like, that looks like a real ox!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> It looks like a real ox sat and posed for Mr. Gustafson... see all the highlights and shadows in the folds of its neck...<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I don't know how he does that.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> How would he get an ox to pose for him?!?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Or dancing hotdogs! They look like real hotdogs!<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Real dancing hotdogs.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> And a unicorn couldn't stand up on a stool while holding a plate! But it looks real!<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> And where in the world would he <span style="font-style: italic;">get</span> a unicorn to pose for him? Or even a tiger for that matter.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> He must just be a good painter. Lots of practice painting real things has helped him paint imaginary things.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> No. I think he must have lots of amazing pets.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Can you see why Scott Gustafson is one of my favorite artists in the world?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> He's so cool.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I think he and Mr. Sandford are the same person.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> That's weird that you say that! He and <a href="http://bookiewoogie.blogspot.com/search/label/John%20Sandford" target="_blank">Mr. Sandford</a> are actually friends.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Whaaaa?<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And I got to meet him once.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Did he sign your chest?<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Why would he sign my chest?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Maybe you didn't have any paper with you.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Heee he haa haah!</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Ever since I studied art in college, I'd had three favorite artists.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Who?<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Glen Keane, Peter deSeve, and Scott Gustafson. They were my heroes. One time I was at a big book show with Mr. Sandford, and Scott Gustafson came walking up to say hi to him. Mr. Sandford knew I was a big fan, so he was excited to introduce me. But I was in shock. He pulled Mr. Gustafson over....<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Hah, ha ha....</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Gracie's already laughing! Why... what do you think is going to happen?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I don't know! <span style="font-style: italic;">Ha ha!</span> Something embarrassing!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Mr. Gustafson came over, and Mr. Sandford introduced me. I said, "It's so nice to meet you. Whenever people ask me who my favorite artists are, I always say the same three names. I always say: Glen Keane, Peter deSeve, and Scott Guffter... uh, Scott Grufsta... Scott Gooster... Gott Scuffscerso... Spott... Scopp...<br />
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Kids:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">HAHHH Ha ha Ho ho ho!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I kept stumbling and stammering, on and on, as he stared at me. Then <span style="font-style: italic;">finally</span> he graciously stopped me and said, "I think I know the guy you're talking about."<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Ho ho ho haa!</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do you know what I did after that?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> You gave him big huggies?<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> No. I zipped my lip and didn't say another word the entire time. I just stood there with a big 'ol smile on my face. You guys have met some pretty famous people already... all those interviews you've done. But you're never in shock around them. You just act like all these famous people are your best buddies.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I'm a good talker. I don't really get shocked.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Is there anyone you <span style="font-style: italic;">would</span> be shocked to meet?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Maybe China.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> China? The whole country?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Ha ha ha! NO! I mean China Anne McClain. She stars in a Disney show.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I thought she meant... <span style="font-style: italic;">China!</span><br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Yeah, the <span style="font-style: italic;">whole</span> country of China comes up to you...<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Well, <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> would be shocking too.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2FbtLqjzEP8/T2bY3cQ9w5I/AAAAAAAAGY4/WVyc0C9XKfM/s1600/ElijahSoup.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721498823612547986" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2FbtLqjzEP8/T2bY3cQ9w5I/AAAAAAAAGY4/WVyc0C9XKfM/s1200/ElijahSoup.gif" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 229px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">a turtle takes tomatoes</span>, by Elijah</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JUD_rCUKVgY/T2bWrhBgUQI/AAAAAAAAGXo/EUyQLd0Oenw/s1600/GraceSoup.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721496419708195074" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JUD_rCUKVgY/T2bWrhBgUQI/AAAAAAAAGXo/EUyQLd0Oenw/s1200/GraceSoup.gif" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 269px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">a panda picks pansies and puts peppermint in her purse</span>,<br />by Gracie</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLx8jITBCb0/T2bWsW5oHeI/AAAAAAAAGYI/qH6IFsesq4Y/s1600/LilySoup.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721496434170666466" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLx8jITBCb0/T2bWsW5oHeI/AAAAAAAAGYI/qH6IFsesq4Y/s1200/LilySoup.gif" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 274px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">a giraffe gathers grapes</span>, by Lily</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5XQVcN1EeVY/T2bWr_EY-HI/AAAAAAAAGX0/Zfcx9c9F1VA/s1600/IsaacSoup.gif"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5721496427773360242" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5XQVcN1EeVY/T2bWr_EY-HI/AAAAAAAAGX0/Zfcx9c9F1VA/s320/IsaacSoup.gif" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">a narwhal's nice nectarines</span>, by Isaac</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
Author/Illustrator: <a href="http://www.scottgustafson.com/Gallery_Home.html" target="_blank">Scott Gustafson</a><br />
Published, 1994: <a href="http://www.greenwichworkshop.com/details/default.asp?p=1386&t=3&page=1&detailtype=books" target="_blank">Greenwich Workshop Press</a><br />
Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0867130253/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0867130253" target="_blank">Here it is...</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bookwoog-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0867130253" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-73312367108504697452012-02-14T08:00:00.009-05:002012-02-15T15:51:08.847-05:00Review #115: The Princess and the Kiss<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rG8aM54teio/TziKTz2S_lI/AAAAAAAAGVk/A2ZbQzZr2N8/s1600/PrincessKiss.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 156px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rG8aM54teio/TziKTz2S_lI/AAAAAAAAGVk/A2ZbQzZr2N8/s200/PrincessKiss.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708464600632196690" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I'm here with my girly-girls reading "The Princess and the Kiss" for Valentine's Day.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie (age 11):</span> I like the pictures. The ladies have such pretty dresses.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily (age 8):</span> This book is especially good for kids when they are older. Like Gracie's age.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Little kids might not understand the real meaning.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And what is the meaning?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> Be careful and wise. Have smartness.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I think that sounds like a great lesson for little kids too. Kids get messages thrown at them everywhere, at all ages, whether they realize it or not. What do kids learn when watching "Zack and Cody"?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> You really hate that show, don't you.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Ha ha ha... </span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> They learn "Be naughty, be snotty, be little devils."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> The message kids learn from Disney Channel shows is "Oh, I'm going to kiss all the boys I see... I'm going to go out dating when I'm seven."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> "I'm going to crush on boys..."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do you think that's a bad message?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> It's not sinful, but it's not wise.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Now the cover of "The Princess and the Kiss" says it's a story about purity. Do you guys know what "pure" means?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Not being yucky.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> Clean.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> If your heart is pure, it means your heart is clean. There are not yucky bugs in your heart.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Tell me about the "kiss" in this book...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> It's not a chocolate kiss.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> It's a glowy sphere.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> It's magic. It looks like a giant ball of glowiness. It's a gift from God that the princess got when she was born -- the first kiss you give to someone outside your family. The mom and dad kept it in <br />safely-safety-safeness for her.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> They said, "This was a gift from God that we received when you were born. Now that you are old enough, we are putting it in your hands. It would be wise to save this kiss for the man you marry." So then all these handsome princes come, like Prince Romance, and Prince Peacock...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> He was proud.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> ...and Prince Moneybags.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> He was Prince Chubby-chubbs.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And what kind of guy was the princess looking for?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> She was looking for a guy who would love her and love her kiss. And she found him.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> And he had saved <span style="font-style: italic;">his</span> first kiss for <span style="font-style: italic;">her</span> too. Did she find him right away?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Noooo. But I think he was the handsomest of all, even though he wasn't a prince.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> Yeah, <span style="font-style:italic;">I</span> thought the princes were ugly.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Especially since one was like 60 and bald.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I thought the farmer boy she finally picked looked kind of girly.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Who? Humble Hairy-head? I think he's cute.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Do you think other kids out there would like this book?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> No, because they all watch Zack and Cody.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Ha ha hah...</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Kids might be like, "That's okay for you, but that's old fashioned. Kissing boys is so "today." It's the new fad. That book was published like what? 11 years ago? That's old stuff."<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Yes, the olden days... 11 years...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Isaac already gave his first kiss away when he was little. To his hamster.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> I think hamsters count as family.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(204, 102, 204);">Evangeline (age 4):</span> I give my kisses to Daddy!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So what are the qualities <span style="font-style: italic;">you</span> would look for in a husband?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> First off, he's got to be a Christian. That's the most important. Second off, he has to love me and not have, like, three other wives. And I think it would be nice if he had a sense of humor and wasn't always serious.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Good things. Any more?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Yeah, I have seven more.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Seven!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> I'm very particular!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You might not be getting married for a long time. Let me hear some more.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Those were the main things. The next one is just kind of goofy...<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Hot hair!</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Yeah, Lily knows. I like hair!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What about your list, Lily?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> I need him to be Christian. That's number One, one, one. And he has to be kind. And be humble. And then be honest and keep his word. And love me - that is fifth.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Fifth?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> Well... maybe second.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Those are good... trustworthy and faithful and honest.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> And these are not things that I need, but things that I want: Likes music and art. That's about it.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> So, is this a good book for Valentine's Day?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> Yeah. Because it's about kisses and love.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> But think about it -- it's mostly about NOT kissing. So why would that be a good book for Valentine's Day?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> Because it's about love!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">True</span> love. She was saving her kiss for her husband.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> She loved her husband, even though she didn't know him yet. You can show love by kissing AND show love by <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> kissing. With every boy you don't kiss, you are showing love to your husband.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Gracie:</span> And you can still kiss all your family members.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Or hamsters.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 102);">Lily:</span> And you can give out chocolate kisses!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NuBD54s3Dr4/TzoHLQpv4xI/AAAAAAAAGV8/tFlsPILOklU/s1600/LilyKiss.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 294px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NuBD54s3Dr4/TzoHLQpv4xI/AAAAAAAAGV8/tFlsPILOklU/s400/LilyKiss.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708883367675552530" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Prince Poetry vies for the princess</span>, by Lily<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UUH_OrhsxWM/TzoHJz-TL_I/AAAAAAAAGVw/oYPkdY7B5e4/s1600/GraceKiss.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 340px; height: 248px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UUH_OrhsxWM/TzoHJz-TL_I/AAAAAAAAGVw/oYPkdY7B5e4/s400/GraceKiss.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708883342797254642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">new family</span>, by Gracie</span><br /></div><br />Author: <a href="http://www.jenniebishop.com/home.html" target="_blank">Jennie Bishop</a><br />Illustrator: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/mn/search/?_encoding=UTF8&redirect=true&keywords=Preston%20McDaniels&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=ur2&bbn=283155&qid=1329104870&rnid=618072011&camp=1789&creative=390957&rh=n%3A283155%2Ck%3APreston%20McDaniels%2Cp_n_feature_browse-bin%3A2656020011" target="_blank">Preston McDaniels</a><img src="https://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bookwoog-20&l=ur2&o=1" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" /><br />Published, 1999: <a href="http://www.warnerpress.org/" target="_blank">Warner Press</a><br />Like it? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0871628686/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=bookwoog-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0871628686" target="_blank">Here it is</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=bookwoog-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0871628686" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" />Z-Kidshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10626951769574291044noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2376995194339975010.post-10293570633278853402012-01-26T08:00:00.000-05:002015-10-02T11:08:56.199-04:00Review #114: The Hobbit<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o9kEUGFOiW4/TyJ-pt1JSHI/AAAAAAAAGS8/LAW3h34hu48/s1600/the_hobbit_cover.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702259333346707570" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o9kEUGFOiW4/TyJ-pt1JSHI/AAAAAAAAGS8/LAW3h34hu48/s200/the_hobbit_cover.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 128px;" /></a><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What did you think about "The Hobbit"?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac (age 13):</span> "The Hobbit" is one of my favorite books.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily (age 8):</span> It's the bestest book ever. Really good. It should win an award.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I like it because it feels like it could have really happened thousands of years ago. I like how the author describes everything. It feels like you could go hiking around outside and find those places.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I like it because it's an adventure story. It's exciting.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie (age 11):</span> I like this book because it was funny. The characters are funny. I like fat old Bombur.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah (age 6):</span> Everyone should read the book because it's cool. The coolest book we've ever read.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Tell us what the story is about...<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> There's this Bilbo. Bilbo Baggins. And he's a quiet little guy. He's a REALLY little guy. He's a hobbit. Hobbits are baby-sized people with big fuzzy feet.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> They're not the size of <span style="font-style: italic;">babies</span>.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Maybe the size of a baby cow. Bilbo's friend Gandalf -- who he just met -- is a wizard. He's cool, except he always keeps disappearing at the worst times. Gandalf tells Bilbo, "You need to go on an adventure."<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Then a whole bunch of dwarves come. They want Bilbo to go on an adventure to be a burglar to get gold back from the dragon who stole all the gold from the dwarves.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> They had lots of adventures along the way... What was your favorite one?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> The spiders.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I like spiders...<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> You <span style="font-style: italic;">like</span> spiders?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> The group got completely lost in Mirkwood Forest.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> They went off the forest path. They fell asleep and the spiders wrapped them up in their spider webs. They are huuuuuuge spiders.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> I imagine the spiders to be the size of dining room chairs.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Cows. I think they are as big as full grown cows.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> Yeah! Cows! That big.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Hmmm, spider-cows.... They could squirt webs from their udders.<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Bilbo Baggins got out of his spider web and saved all the dwarves.<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> He sees the other dwarves wrapped up in the trees, but there were tons of spiders. This is the first time Bilbo can't rely on anyone else. He has to do it himself. He becomes a hero.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Normally they would all be like, "The wizard saved us." But Gandalf had disappeared again. So Bilbo was like "I'll have to stand up and save these dwarves, because apparently, they can't save themselves!"<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> It's the first time the dwarves start appreciating him.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Bilbo was a warrior. Bilbo killed practically all of the spiders.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Would you be brave enough to do that?<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> If I was like Bilbo. But I think Bilbo is braver than me.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> What if Dad was wrapped up in a spider web, about to be eaten? Would you come save me?<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm......<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> You'd better say yes!<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Yeah, I'd do it.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Thank-you!<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> What about me?<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> No. I would leave you there.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> My brother loves me.<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> I'm just kidding.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Tell us about some of the characters and creatures they all met along the way. How about Elves?<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> Sometimes elves are like solemn warriors. But in <span style="font-style: italic;">this</span> book they were like, "Tra-la-la-la-loodle! Tra-da-doo-da-doodle!" They were jumping around, dancing in the trees, drinking wine.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How about Goblins?<br />
<span style="color: #3366ff; font-weight: bold;">Isaac:</span> They escaped goblins more than once. Wolves chased everyone up into the trees. Then the goblins came and started setting the trees on fire so they were trapped. Then these eagles came and picked the dwarves and Bilbo up off the trees.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> The eagles are coming! The eagles are coming!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> How about Dragons?<br />
<span style="color: #33cc00; font-weight: bold;">Elijah:</span> Smaug is the name of a big dragon. He's cool.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I like Smaug. Smaug is the bestest. He's my favorite besides Fili and Kili. He's the dragon who guards all the treasure. He's kind of funny and gruesome. He likes to kill things.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> Anyone else?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> My favorite character of the book was Gollum.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> What - are you serious?<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> I like Gollum.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> You like Gollum? And you like spiders? You're just creepy.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> You didn't like Gollum, Gracie? I thought you loved that chapter.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> I did. It was my favorite. I just don't like <i>him</i>. But he makes a good villain. Gollum is yucky. He's evil! He's creepy!!! And he liked to eat people. He became invisible with a magic ring and he ate a baby goblin! A little squeaker!<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Dad:</span> That's one less goblin in the world.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> But it was just a baby squeaker!<br />
<span style="color: #ff6666; font-weight: bold;">Lily:</span> Gollum is really mischievous. He likes riddles.<br />
<span style="color: #ff9900; font-weight: bold;">Gracie:</span> His riddles were tricky. I don't know how Bilbo solved them. But I like people who can tell riddles. So maybe Gollum and I <span style="font-style: italic;">could</span> be friends -- if he wasn't evil, and still had his grandma, and wasn't living down in the caves eating people and little baby squeakers. Then he might be my friend.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v7gtOjKDriA/TyKB_QSpBHI/AAAAAAAAGTg/20f2CZZwnKU/s1600/LilyHobbit.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702263001909363826" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v7gtOjKDriA/TyKB_QSpBHI/AAAAAAAAGTg/20f2CZZwnKU/s400/LilyHobbit.gif" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 280px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bilbo and Gollum</span>, by Lily</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lhy8MCYqX4U/TyKB_pcEvCI/AAAAAAAAGTs/0caRdAuWOOQ/s1600/ElijahHobbit.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702263008659815458" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lhy8MCYqX4U/TyKB_pcEvCI/AAAAAAAAGTs/0caRdAuWOOQ/s320/ElijahHobbit.gif" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 254px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bilbo and spiders</span>, by Elijah</span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vstIzhS5CuI/TyKB_GhKGiI/AAAAAAAAGTQ/78MJJEyy6iA/s1600/GraceHobbit.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702262999285897762" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vstIzhS5CuI/TyKB_GhKGiI/AAAAAAAAGTQ/78MJJEyy6iA/s320/GraceHobbit.gif" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 256px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Smaug</span>, by Gracie</span><br />
<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b4Nd4-S-G5o/TyKB-yWMD1I/AAAAAAAAGTI/DgKNcAR1HAI/s1600/IsaacHobbit.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5702262993871179602" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-b4Nd4-S-G5o/TyKB-yWMD1I/AAAAAAAAGTI/DgKNcAR1HAI/s1200/IsaacHobbit.gif" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 360px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 255px;" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">eagles carrying dwarves and Bilbo</span>, by Isaac</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span></div>
Author: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._R._R._Tolkien" target="_blank">J.R.R. Tolkien</a><br />
Published, 1937: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hobbit" target="_blank">Allen & Unwin</a><br />
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