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swan: the life and dance of anna pavlova + laurel snyder author interview

picture books for the older set

08.18.2015

Swan: the Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Julie Morstad (2015).

This is one special book. It might make you smile and dance and cry.

(click image(s) to enlarge)

The language and text are both so beautiful and skillful in this book. We can feel the cold of Russia, the thrill of watching one’s first ballet performance, the discipline of practicing turns and bends over and over. The longing to be a ballerina. The joy of finding one’s passion. The satisfaction of sharing it with others, as Anna Pavlova did.

I love the way Julie Morstad uses white and white space throughout the book (all that snow!), as though foreshadowing this moment when Anna becomes that magical white swan.

Born to a poor washerwoman and with the wrong feet for ballet, Anna Pavlova became a star against the odds. She was best known for “The Dying Swan,” a short ballet choreographed for her and that she performed thousands of times.

And oh that ending, when Anna is transformed into the dying swan of her famous performance. On her deathbed she asked for her costume and her last words were: “Play that last measure softly.”

“Every day must end in night.

Every bird must fold its wings.

Every feather falls at last, and settles.”

Big thanks to Chronicle Books for images!

This Picture Book Life: Tell us about your history as a dancer, specifically with ballet. What was the first time you saw a dance performance?

Laurel Snyder: Well, I studied dance as a kid, almost entirely ballet. I think the initial draw for me was social–because I started taking classes with my best friend, Susan, to whom the book is dedicated. But from the beginning, I loved ballet, and over the years I went to three different dance schools in and around Baltimore. The problem was that as I got older, it began to feel clear that I’d never be a Pavlova. That was the hardest thing about ballet for me. Once I was in high school, it felt like dance had to be all or nothing, and neither my body or skill were enough to make me a star. So I quit when I was in high school. I didn’t see a lot of professional performances when I was a kid, honestly. I think that maybe part of the allure of Pavlova for me, as a kid, was in the grandeur I saw in her old photographs. I’d just sit and stare at her…

TPBL: What influence did Anna Pavlova have on you? What drew you to her and her story?

LS: She was definitely an influence, though I’m not entirely certain how it began. I remember my best friend and I had these paper dolls, and we’d fight over them! The Swan was always my favorite, but if memory serves, Susan preferred Les Sylphides. Then, at some point I got my hands on an old book of photos, that included a portion of Anna’s diaries, and I became obsessed. I loved the rags-to-riches quality of her story. She was this impoverished washerwoman’s kid, who became a kind of princess. I was also a little obsessed with the idea of boarding school, and I loved history, so for me, Anna’s saga was utterly dreamy.

Now, as an adult, I’m drawn to the idea that Pavlova really was a missionary for dance. That she wanted to spread the word, share it with the world! It had changed her life, and she wanted to spread that passion. But I don’t think I grasped that as a kid. When I was ten, it was just the transformation of Anna herself that I loved. And the idea of having a grand passion. I wanted to be devoted to something myself!

TPBL: How was your manuscript paired with Julie Morstad (*swoon*)?

LS: That was sheer genius on the part of the folks at Chronicle. My editor Melissa was the person who introduced me to her work, and I fell in love at first sight. I was over the moon when Julie agreed to do the project, and when the first sketches came in, I burst into tears. She really did capture the pictures in my head. I’m not sure how that happened. It’s a kind of magic.

TPBL: Tell us about the spread in which Anna is told she cannot attend ballet school. The thing is, you don’t tell us explicitly that’s what she was told. How did you go about writing those lines and how did you decide on the strategy you used to communicate that information so subtly?

LS: That’s a really good question! My first genre is poetry– and this book began that way, as a sort of poem. I didn’t begin with a story so much as a tone, an emotional thread. I wanted to share my sense of Anna as a girl. Loneliness, coldness, and then the dazzle of that first ballet, and the hard work of her training. For that kind of emotional/image narrative, a poem just made sense.

TPBL: I appreciate how you deal with death in SWAN. Tell us about spending time with Anna’s death in the closing spreads. What relationship does death have to Anna’s life and dance and/or to your own philosophy of writing picture books or this one in particular?

LS: Actually, the publication of this book probably hinged on the fact that I couldn’t imagine the story without the death/end. Long before I had a contract, I wrote the manuscript, but I knew I couldn’t deal with the idea of her death being left off, and I also knew most editors wouldn’t want to include it. I kept imagining people saying, “Why don’t we just end it HERE, when she’s blossomed into a swan! Isn’t that NICE?”

So I reached out to an editor I’d been following online, who seemed to feel like I did about such matters. I asked her whether a picture book biography could include a deathbed scene. And that was the beginning of my poem becoming a book.

LS: I feel very very strongly that most kids can handle big ideas and sad moments. Some kids– and I was this way myself– crave sadness. Often, kids ARE sad, and when you ARE sad, it can be terrible to be constantly surrounded by balloons and smiles. Sometimes, the most comforting thing is to know that sadness enters everyone’s life, and that you aren’t alone. Books are such a good way to encounter the sadness of others. They help us build empathy, and also keep us company.

But also, this isn’t just about sadness. It’s important for kids to hear stories of good deaths. Anna’s life was a good life, and her death was a good death, in a way. She changed the world, lived on her own terms, and died surrounded by the art she loved. She was mourned deeply, and this book is a part of that. Mourning isn’t just sadness. It’s missing, a celebration of a life well-lived.

If we teach kids only about death as atrocity, we make it a terrifying thing. Which is awful, because of course we’re all going to die. Anna lived well, and was mourned deeply by millions of people. Her gift continues now, far beyond her life. I can’t think of a happier ending for anyone, really.

Big thanks to Laurel Snyder for writing the book and sharing her answers! I leave you with this footage of Anna Pavlova dancing “The Dying Swan.” I’m so glad this exists.

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a picture book for every emotion (okay, 30 of them)

PICTURE BOOKS +

08.11.2015

Picture books often address a particular emotion, explicitly or not, and it’s one of my favorite things about them. They give you a certain reaction, they help you cope with a feeling, or they help you usher one in. So, I give you 30 picture book titles to help assuage, validate, or cultivate what a little one (or you) is going through.

The Little Gardener by Emily Hughes is essentially a hope manisfesto! If you’ve ever had a dream, this one’s for you.

Hank Finds an Egg by Rebecca Dudley. Hank shows us what it means to have the impulse to do something kind and then to do everything it takes to actually make it happen.

Happy Birthday Madame Chapeau by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts. Madame Chapeau may be a fabulous hat maker, but she always eats dinner alone. I love how this book shows us that companionship can come not only from a romantic relationship, but from an unexpected friend.

Grandfather Ghandi by Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedu, illustrated by Evan Turk. This is the book that sparked the idea for this post. In it Gandhi’s grandson discovers that even the most peaceful people still experience anger.

You’re Finally Here! by Mélanie Watt. This is a classic story of impatience, something any reader who’s ever waited for something can relate to.

Peace is an Offering by Annette Lebox and Stephanie Graegin. This is the kind of book that will make you cry, in a good way. It’s like a little manual for the peaceful life.

Little Elliot Big City by Mike Curato. Besides being an immensely sweet and satisfying book, at its heart is Elliot, who is very small. And when you read it, you find out that an antidote for smallness is to find someone else to share with, regardless of size or being seen.

Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson and E.B. Lewis. Who can’t relate to this one? Even the main character, an elementary school child, already has something she remembers and wishes she could change.

Hug Me by Simona Ciraolo. Felipe the cactus is different from his spiny relatives all right. We as readers know he truly deserves that hug he wants, even though his family doesn’t see it that way. This one celebrates being different even in its difficulty.

Extraordinary Jane by Hannah E. Harrison. I love this one because it tells us that being ordinary is pretty super if you’re being yourself.

Marvelous Cornelius by Phil Bidner and John Parra. This picture book is for anyone feeling powerless to realize they’re not. Cornelius shows us what a giant difference one person can make, especially when they inspire others to pitch in.

Stephen and the Beetle by Jorge Luján and Chiara Carrer. This is such a great example of imagining another’s perspective, even if that other is an insect.

Red by Jan De Kinder. At its heart, this book shows the kind of compassion that rouses us to stand up for someone else, no matter how hard it is to do so.

I Don’t Want to Be a Frog by Dev Petty and Mike Boldt. A perfect primer on wanting to be something you’re not and then recognizing the upside of your own state.

Jane, the Fox, & Me by Isabelle Arsenault and Fanny Brit. Aside from being one of the most gorgeous books ever, this story is for anyone who hangs her head because of what someone else has said or because of the thoughts swimming in her own mind. Fear not, it is not as it seems in the moment!

The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade by Justin Roberts and Christian Robinson. An admonition to notice things, to log them away, and to stand tall no matter how small you are.

Hooray For Hat! by Brian Won. This is a book to turn that frown upside down for sure. Just the design and color do that for me, but it’s the sweet story of friends helping friends that seals the deal.

Tía Isa Wants a Car by Meg Medina and Claudio Muñoz. The niece who is the narrator in this story has so much devotion to her aunt and to their dreams—devotion she’s willing to work very hard for.

Night Driving by John Coy and Peter McCarty. A slow and quiet father/son nighttime drive with all the details of remembering.

Beautiful Griselda by ISOL. A cautionary fairy tale for anyone too concerned with their own beauty.

Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great by Bob Shea. This is an archetypal jealousy book and has big-time humor to boot! Goat’s jealousy, as all jealousy, comes from only valuing what that shiny unicorn has instead of valuing your own good stuff.

Beegu by Alexis Deacon. One of my favorite picture books ever and perfect for times when you feel super out of place. But don’t worry, there are small people on earth who will accept you—children.

One by Kathryn Otoshi. A book that inspires on many levels—in the ingenuity of its execution as well as its message.

Nasreddine by Odile Weulersse and Rebecca Dautremer. A beautifully illustrated parable about not caring what others think of you.

How To by Julie Morstad. Like a how to manual for joy, Morstad’s admonitions, if followed, would lead to the best day ever. A book you’ll want to live in.

Mrs. Biddlebox by Linda Smith and Marla Frazee. I love this character with a terrible case of the doldrums until she whips them into cake! Cake to cure any foul mood!

Ralph Tells a Story by Abby Hanlon. Ralph shows us what it’s like to think we don’t have a story and then discover we do. (He also has great writing advice like eating lots of chocolate.)

Crankenstein by Samantha Berger and Dan Santat. This will give you the giggles to cure that crankiness right up.

The Red Tree by Shaun Tan. This is the most special picture book ever to me. It will go there with you into hopelessness, but then right at the very last moment, it will show you possibility.

The Lion and the Bird by Marianne Dubuc. This tender, true book! One helps the other and in turn the other has something to offer the first. Isn’t that what companionship is?

I hope this list comes in handy for you now or in the future. And if you have any other picture book titles that you associate strongly with an emotion, do let me know in the comments!

seven completely awesome board books, a guest post from Bookroo

PICTURE BOOKS +

08.04.2015

I’m so excited to have Jane Tanner, co-founder of the kids’ book subscription service, Bookroo as guest post-er on This Picture Book Life today! She’s going to give us seven of her favorite and completely awesome board books for the littlest readers. Over to Jane!

1. Moustache Up! A Playful Game of Opposites by Kimberly Ainsworth, illustrated by Daniel Roode.

Mustaches are definitely in right now, and this book pays playful homage to the trend, while at the same time being chic and interactive. The text of the book is all in delightful rhymes, which are catchy and keep you moving on, and the drawings are minimalist and high contrast. Possibly the best part is the packet of sturdy moustaches at the beginning of the book that kids can match and stick into the pages of the book, or play dress up with.

2. You Are My Baby series by Lorena Siminovich.

The first time I came across one of these books (the Ocean edition!), I was in absolute raptures. We live in a world of square books, which is great and all, but the You Are My Baby series’ unique shapes make them that much more special right out of the gate. And, it’s like two books in one–the baby book, and the parent book. The illustrations are modern, clean, and adorable, and it teaches children some less-well known names for baby animals, which is a plus!

3. Pride and Prejudice: A Baby Lit Counting Primer by Jennifer Adams, Illustrated by Alison Oliver.

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book of all time, and so my mom bought this board book for me on principle. It’s an adorable counting primer with modern and spunky illustrations that give little ones something to look at and count while we get reminders of all our favorite parts of the original. As a side note, all of Baby Lit’s books are great introductions to classics, displayed in a beautiful, child-friendly way.

4. A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na.

A Book of Sleep is an absolutely delightful bedtime choice, with illustrations so unique and beautiful that I found myself fascinated by them instantly. Children and adults will enjoy the mix of textures, colors, and patterns interwoven throughout the illustrations as the story follows an owl as he watches over all the other animals falling asleep. The book teaches about sleeping habits of various animals, and also gives children an opportunity to play “I spy” as they watch for the owl on every page.

5. Hopper and Wilson by Maria van Lieshout.

The watercolor illustrations in Hopper and Wilson are absolutely whimsical and delightful. It tells a story of two friends, a mouse and an elephant, who go on an adventure to find the edge of the world where they hope there will be endless lemonade and the opportunity to touch the moon. While they get separated along the way, (spoiler alert!) they find each other again, and the book creates openings for discussion about the importance of friendship, not giving up, and the earth being round and not flat!

6. Owl and Friends by Joyce Wan.

You’ll probably be as impressed as I was when I discovered that Joyce Wan can even make worms look cute! All of the illustrations are clean and simple, yet utterly delightful! Owl and Friends introduces young children to a variety of animals and what they do, and features a fun foldout at the end.

The Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen, pictures by Dan Hanna.

7. Pout Pout Fish is a New York Times Bestseller and teaches the classic and ever important lesson that happiness a choice. The text is fun and rhyming and I’ve even heard people turn it into a song as they read, although I’m not that accomplished! The illustrations are fun, expressive and detailed, giving opportunity for parents to point out things other than the main story in the sea surroundings.

Thanks, Jane, for the awesome list!

Bookroo empowers parents to build their children’s book collections in an affordable and exciting way that inspires a love of reading in children by creating a delightfully whimsical experience. Each month Bookroo delivers 2-3 adorably wrapped, curated board or picture books to your door for you to keep! Retail value of the books always exceeds subscription price.

Bookroo is generously offering a deal for This Picture Book Life readers! Get $4 off your subscription if you sign up though the link.

And there’s one more special thing Bookroo is doing right now. If you purchase a subscription, you’ll get a coupon for a Bookroo box to pass along to a friend. Yup, buy one, give one!

a pair of super cool glow in the dark books

picture books for pairing

07.28.2015

There is something truly magical about holding a glowing book in a dark space. I imagine blanket forts as perfect habitats for glow-in-the-dark books. (Just remember, they must be charged by a lamp or flashlight first in order for their magic to work!)

Dream Recipes by ISOL (English edition, 2012).

The Spanish edition is NOCTURNO: Recetario de sueños.

This book demonstrates the true creative genius that is ISOL. She sets it up to be used, literally, as a way to guide dreams right before bed. You can pick a different page each night—charge it up, turn out the lights, and then see what appears and how it influences your dreams!

This is a truly original book and nothing else exists that’s quite like it. Dream Journal. Book of discovery. Science project.

From “The distracted fisherman Dream” to “The Dream of being another” to “The Dream of the Dead Singer,” each has ISOL’s signature style.

The very last page is blank (but covered in glow in the dark) for you to draw your own dream and see if it visits you!

The Game in the Dark by Hervé Tullet (2012).

This one is much simpler and would be great for very young readers. Tullet is another creative genius for kids and here he plays with glowing spacey shapes.

While simple they are still wonderful to behold.

This gif from Babouches says it all! Wow!

two giveaways for two years of This Picture Book Life

DISPATCH FROM DANIELLE

07.21.2015

This Picture Book Life turns two this month!

To celebrate, I have two special giveaways to thank you for stopping by here and reading! THANK YOU!

Enter to win one of two sets of three picture books. One batch is three super sweet books published by Penguin; the other, three books from Chronicle that explore nature in some way.