A remarkable book for a remarkable woman. Just look at that cover! It so beautifully captures her spirit with vivid yet textured collage. Fannie Lou— sunlight, voice, and beacon for the other voting rights activists silhouetted behind her. She wears yellow almost every time she’s pictured throughout this gorgeously-illustrated book.
Each spread is an illustration accompanied by a first person poem telling Fannie’s story from her own (imagined combined with quoted) point of view. Every one will move you.
“My mother taught me years ago that black is beautiful.”
Beginning. 1917. Mississippi. The youngest of twenty children. Her parents, sharecroppers. Soon, her dragging cotton in the fields too. “Sharecropping was just slavery by a gentler name. The same folks still had us, had in chains.” But she had a strong, loving mother who gave her a black doll to help her feel proud of who she was.
“When you read…you know—
and you can help yourself and others.”
Middle. Marriage. Hard work. Motherhood. Fannie Lou adopted two children and then was tricked into an operation to prevent her from having any biologically.
She was introduced to her right to vote, a right not honored by any stretch. Fired. Fired at. Beat up. Still, she sang for freedom and civil rights. Fannie Lou ran for congress. She spoke to student volunteers and to lawmakers. She made a televised speech to the Democratic convention about her experience.
“The only thing they could do was kill me
and it seemed like they’d been trying to do that a little bit
at a time ever since I could remember.”
End. 1977. Fannie Lou left a legacy of fighting for justice, helping others, and making a difference by being committed and courageous.
This is a book for the older set of picture book readers (and for everyone) to learn about this important story of civil rights, in the details not just the big moments. To get a glimpse into that struggle and to see how any progress ever made is made by people like Fannie Lou. In fits and starts and setbacks and fierce determination, despite powerful opposition, to see small steps accomplished so all benefit.
You can read Hamer’s testimony about being arrested and beaten when trying to register to vote in Mississippi here.
And Candlewick has a brief video about the book, including an appearance from its author here.
This picture book is out this month, coincidentally the same time of year the Ursa Major constellation is most visible in the night sky. And a bear who shines is another way of describing this main character. A gleaming debut all around!
“There were all the bears. And then, there was Ursa.” Ursa is different. Just look at her lying in the green grass, rainbow sweater-adorned. She’s a dreamer. Even on the first spread, she’s already looking at the sky.
Ursa goes big and thinks out of the box with every undertaking. When her focus turns skyward again, she decides she wants to fly! She applies all her other attributes—observing, making, trying—to the dream of flight.
There are many fantastic details in this book. Ursa’s little sibling who serves as sidekick, for example, whose shirt says what’s on big sister’s mind. Ursa’s own spirited outfits. And I love how her name reminds us of the bear constellations, how it brings us immediately to the clouds and stars above.
I also love the illustrations. Aren’t they delightfully engaging? The book alternates from dark spreads to light, spanning all the times of day in beautiful ways. And the texture of the dark bits, including the night sky and the bears own faces has a speckled quality that gets me thinking immediately of stars in the city.
Ursa takes cues from pigeons, dandelion seeds, and bats, all fly-ers. But it’s only when she finds her own medium, her own opportunity, that she truly learns to soar in her own way.
I’ll let you read the book to find out what that is! And as Deborah Marcero reminded me when we talked about this post, there’s always a “feeling of ‘flying’ when you do something that’s totally YOU and you do it well.” That’s it’s own kind of flying as well and sometimes, as in Ursa’s case, it takes some trial and error to get there. Which makes the feat that much sweeter.
I think you’ll want to read Deborah’s blog post about the process of creating the artwork in this book. She has a lot in common with Ursa herself!
We are so lucky to have Kellie as crafter in the picture book kitchen today! She’s an artist and book lover I admire. You may already follow her on Instagram, but if not, I highly recommend her delightful feed: The Kaleidoscope. (She made some fantastic Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland cookies too!)
Over to Kellie!
With four little boys, reading and snacking go hand in hand. Thanks to Danielle, I am excited to share a fun little project inspired by Ursa’s Light.
Ursa is a unique little bear. I didn’t think my regular bear face cutter would do her justice, so I sketeched a little picture of her onto a heavy card stock paper. After cutting her out, I used this recipe for the cookie dough.
While the dough was setting in the fridge, I decided to make salt dough stars. I used this recipe and a small star cookie cutter. I used a paper straw to make holes in the dough for stringing after. By the time I had finished baking the stars, my cookie dough was ready to roll out.
Once you have rolled out your cookie dough, I used a butter knife to cut along the paper shape.
For painting the cookies, I used icing sugar, a splash of milk and the most important part is cream of tarter, which helps it set. I used a paintbrush, just small plastic brushes you can get at any dollar store. The most important part of painting your cookies is waiting for the icing to dry before you add on details. I started with my base coat, in this case it was black and red. Once the icing has set, you can add the eyes, and pink for the ears and nose.
After the stars had cooled, and while I waited for my icing to set, I painted the dried stars with some glow in the dark paint and strung them together with some bakers twine.
We hung them above the bed, and it’s the perfect inspiration for reading and dreaming about how we can dream big like Ursa.
In University, she studied children’s literature, minored in child development, and went on to complete her fine arts degree. She is fond of picture books and painting. She’s always sharing her love of books in her community and through the online community (where we were lucky enough to meet!).
Thank you, Kellie for these Ursa cookies! I’m in heaven gazing at them!
You may want to check out Kellie’s Frida Kahlo peg doll from last year’s Viva Frida post too!
Kate Berube’s debut is terrific. It’s a girl and a dog book. A fear book. An overcoming your worries in order to connect book.
(Just look at that cover! The way these two mirror each other, those glimmers of pink!)
Berube’s economy of storytelling really stuck out to me. She does this, in part, through repetition in her set up. Every day. Every day. Every day. Every single day. And then, one different day! Every day Sugar is there. And every day Hannah says, “No thank you,” when asked to pet her. As a reader, you wonder why she says that. But you kind of know too.
There’s this celled spread that shows us so effortlessly the passage of time and how things stay the same. Every day, a dog. Every day a girl saying no but toying with saying yes. Wondering what would happen if. Just look at her eyes and the tilt of her head every time!
That goodbye spread really gets to me, and it has echoes on other spreads too in affecting ways. It shows us so much. The connection between these two. The feeling of being drawn to something and knowing you’re missing out on it, but unable to change things. Not yet.
Until the different day. The day Sugar is not there. And that’s a big day for Hannah. Things change then because she’s worried not about herself, but about Sugar. She’s wondering what it would be like to be lost. She puts herself in Sugar’s place and she’s able, from there, to be brave.
She’s able to take a risk for a sweet dog who’s waiting to be her friend.
+
This Picture Book Life:Where did the idea for HANNAH AND SUGAR come from? What was the process of creating it (words and art)?
Kate Berube: The idea for Hannah and Sugar came to me in a couple of ways. First, I was trying to be more brave in my life at the time I was writing it and was thinking a lot about what it really means to be brave. I had been mulling over the idea that bravery isn’t really about confidence or boldness, it’s about doing something you are afraid to do—having fear and doing it anyway. I realized that most of the best things in life are a little scary at first.
With that in mind I decided I wanted to write a story about a fear that would be something children could relate to. One day, years ago, I was at the bus stop to pick up some kids I was taking care of and one of the neighborhood families had adopted a dog. All the kids came streaming off the bus and beelined for the new dog, all except one little boy. I couldn’t tell you if that little boy was afraid of dogs or just indifferent but it gave me an idea. That moment inspired the first two spreads of the book.
Of course, it all seems so simple and straightforward in retrospect. It wasn’t AT ALL simple or straightforward at the time. I had many ideas I was playing with and I wasn’t sure which I liked best and which I should be focusing on. I wrote many, many unfinished stories about different fears and also about completely different things altogether. Once I did narrow down my focus to a story about a girl who was afraid of dogs – I still wrote many, many drafts to get the story to where it is now.
I’m currently working on writing a new book and it’s an interesting and frustrating process. I often find myself wishing a finished and perfect story would just come to me all at once. But then I remember that’s just not how it works and that the process of creating a story can be really fun if I can stop focusing on whether or not it’s any good.The only way forward is to try and fail and then try again. That’s my process for both drawing and writing. I just keep trying different things until I find something I like.
TPBL: Are you a dog person/what dogs have you loved?
KB: I wasn’t always a dog person but I am now. The Sugar in the story is named for my real life dog. The real life Sugar has only one eye – which makes her extra cute.
She came into my life through a boyfriend I’d been dating for only a few months. When he told me he was getting a dog I thought to myself, “Well, that might be the end of this relationship!” I just didn’t get the dog thing – they seemed like a nuisance to me – messy and a lot of work.
But, how that changed when I got to know Sugar. I finally understood it. Yeah, she’s messy and takes some work but it’s always more than worth it. She gives me so much love and comfort. Now the boyfriend who introduced me to Sugar is my husband and I cannot imagine life without either of them. Sugar lays beside me in the studio all day as I work and we take lots of walks. Anytime I feel sad or stressed she is there to snuggle up to. I adore her.
TPBL: I love the page that’s all muddy black with the words “Hannah closed her eyes and took a deep breath” very much. It’s so authentic to what it feels like to be really scared and about to face that fear. When and how did that page come about?
KB: I have a sketch book somewhere with that idea in it – an all black page with little words on the bottom “she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.” I think I came up with it on the bus one day – unrelated to this story. And then it just sat in the back of my mind and thankfully came to me when I was writing this story.
I think that’s how a lot of writing books works – we come up with ideas here and there and jot them down and then if we’re lucky we remember them at the right moment and fit the right ones together to tell a story.
TPBL: Who are some picture book creators working today/some picture books you most admire? Who are your influences?
KB: I have a background in observational painting and perhaps it’s not something obvious in my work, but I think all the years of studying painting has had a huge influence on how I create illustrations. Some painters I’ve loved since I was young: Rembrandt, Matisse, Cezanne, Degas, Corot, Monet, Van Gogh, Vuillard, Bonnard, Giacometti, Hokusai, Hopper, Dubuffet, Morandi, Moore, Diebenkorn, Basquiat, Fairfield Porter, Hockney.
As far as children’s book creators – I could list hundreds! I used to work at Powell’s Books in the kid’s room and I read as many children’s books as I possibly could. There are so many who’ve influenced me.
Some children’s book makers I’m thinking about/studying/loving this week are:
Chris Raschka – I’m in awe over his ability to paint very gesturally and loose but also so clearly communicate emotion. His work reminds me of the ideas behind Japanese brush painting – allowing the mind to be free to let the body create.
Beatrice Alemagna – Her work is playful and relaxed but it’s also very, very smart. I’m crazy about all the layers and textures in her illustrations.
Christian Robinson – I adore everything he does and I cannot really figure out why. I could say it’s the combination of his lovely sense of color and his great design and his beautiful hand-painted shapes – but I feel like that’s oversimplifying it.
Kate DiCamillo – I love her books so much. I’ve been trying to reread them and dissect how they work, but I always just get caught up in the story and forget to think about the craft of it.
TPBL: You have a real economy of visuals. For example, you show us time passing on one spread in this sort of four-celled way and the searching scene is also very interestingly laid out. How does that kind of thing come about? Are you at all influenced by comic books?
KB: I do love some comic books and graphics novels but I’m kind of an amateur fan. I love Calvin and Hobbes and Saga, for example, but there are SO many I’m not familiar with. I have read Scott McCloud’s book, Understanding Comics, and learned a ton from it. I would recommend it to anyone who’s creating stories with words and pictures. (Also, the Uri Shulevitz book, Writing With Pictures, taught me a ton about telling a story visually.)
So, to answer your question, yes, perhaps there is a comic book influence, but it wasn’t exactly intentional. I think those pages came about partially because of the constraint of having only 32 pages to work with. It was important to find ways to show passage of time that didn’t take up a lot of pages. Also, it was about pacing the story. I wanted to make it build up at the right speed and having those scenes compacted like they are made the story move at the pace I thought it should.
TPBL: What’s next for you?
KB: I illustrated a picture book called The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read, by Curtis Manley, which is coming out in July from Paula Wiseman Books/Simon and Schuster. It was really fun and different to illustrate someone else’s words and it’s a terrific story. A boy tries to teach his cats to read but soon learns one cat is what you might call a “reluctant reader.” A book about discovering the joy of reading – what could be better?!
And I’m working right now on illustrations for a very unique and delightful story called My Little Half Moon, about a child who has a friendship with the moon. It’ll come out next year from Putnam Books and written by Doulgas Jennerich.
And as I mentioned, I’m also working on writing my next book. I’m still searching for the answers to a lot of questions about it so I’m not ready to share anything yet. But I’m excited about it – it will be great to put into practice all the new things I learned from working on my first three books.
Thanks again for having me!
Big thanks to Kate Berube for talking to me and for those images! It was so lovely of her stop by and talk about her wonderful book.
In my last post, I broke down why I think Little Red by Bethan Woollvin is A+. And now, she’s stopping by to do the same with a picture book she admires! Hooray!
She’s chosen No Such Thing by Ella Bailey. It may be a Halloween-themed book, but it’s got spring written all over it with that color palette! I love seeing what Bethan’s book and Ella’s book share. Aside from both being A+ and lovely to look upon, they also feature little girl protagonists who aren’t afraid of what might scare someone else.
Over to Bethan!
I first laid eyes on Ella Bailey‘s No Such Thing a few months back and instantly fell in love. It’s a real pleasure to be able to write about why it’s such a beautiful book.
(click image(s) to enlarge)
Something you will notice before you even open the book is Bailey’s brilliant eye for design. The front cover features muddled shelves of toys, trinkets, and Halloween related items. In the foreground stands a slightly concerned young lady under some of the most delightful hand drawn type I’ve seen to date – ‘No Such Thing’…what a clever title, I was instantly curious. No such thing as what?
INTRODUCES THE PROTAGONIST’S MAIN QUALITY RIGHT AWAY
For those who haven’t read No Such Thing, its main character is a young girl named Georgia who is demystifying the strange things occurring around her home in late October and most importantly, isn’t scared one bit!
Georgia is introduced to us on the first spread and by the second we already have a good idea what her personality is like. In these vignettes we see not only a brilliant observation of childlike body language, but a hilarious range of facial expressions that can be seen throughout the book.
As the story continues we begin to realise there is absolutely no fooling Georgia. This is something I really loved about this book: Georgia is smart, brave, and slightly suspicious, character traits you rarely see of a female lead in picture books. Georgia is a great role model for young readers and teaches them that there’s no need to jump to conclusions.
A RETRO SETTING AND RICH VISUAL DETAILS
Something that really catches your eye when reading No Such Thing is the quirky colour palette. Although Bailey mainly works digitally throughout her work, she’s still managed to master a vintage silk screen style (which I applaud because I’m terrible at Photoshop)! The colours are unusual but really complement the charmingly cluttered areas of Georgia’s home that Bailey has worked so hard to create. My favourite example is Georgia in her 1950s-esque salmon pink kitchen, a strong composition giving us a view into her jumbled fridge! There is so much detail hidden in the pages that every time I open this book I see something I didn’t notice before.
LETS READERS DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES
The narrative is told in hilarious rhymes beginning to end which I have a real soft spot for. The text and illustrations work perfectly together, retelling small anecdotes about spooky things happening in Georgia’s home. These are usually done by her cat, dog, or her mischievous little brother – or so we thought! There’s another level to this book that the protagonist isn’t aware of, is there such a thing as ghosts? This gives the reader something to think about. They can decide for themselves whether they think the little ghosts are the ones responsible for all the incidents in Georgia’s home.
HAS AN INTERACTIVE (DID YOU SPOT IT?) ELEMENT
The book ends on lots of small (insanely cute) ghosts having a little party in Georgia’s front room and a note from the author: ‘Did you spot the ghosts? Turn back and see if you can find the ghosts on every page.’ Among the gorgeous artwork and witty story, a fun game begins! I love this idea. It gives the book more mileage and engages readers to pick the book up again and again.
Bailey has created a gorgeous world for Georgia, from the furniture and wallpaper to the food in the fridge. Every bit is pleasing to look at. The text is playful and ever-so-slightly sarcastic, which appeals to all different audiences. Georgia’s character is so important in this book because she is a strong female role model. She doesn’t remotely believe in ghosts, that would be irrational! No Such Thing is definitely an A+ book, one that every young reader should have in their collection.
This book is a super smart stunner. In fact, I’ve chosen it to be the second in my Elements of an A+ Picture Book series.
Let’s have a look at what makes it stand out!
COLOR SCHEME
The bold graphic illustrations in red and black and white really pop (see also Louise Loves Art). Here it’s mostly black and white with dabs of red on each spread—usually it’s Little Red herself, but if she’s not present, it’s other red bits to remind us of her. It could be said those dabs of red also reminds us of fierceness in the face of trouble.
Something else I love visually is how the forest is non-traditional (I spy cactus-type shapes) and feels Matisse inspired.
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STARTING THE STORY BEFORE IT STARTS
Just look at that title page! It serves as a portal of sorts into the world Red is about to enter. As she puts on her boots, we’re in a sense putting on our reading boots/eyes/minds. Not only that, but there’s something about Red’s tongue here that tells me she’s determined. That’s an efficient character signal done with just a circle at the line of her mouth!
By the time the story proper starts, Red is already out the door and on her way.
TURNING A FAMILIAR TALE ON ITS HEAD
In this telling, Little Red answers the wolf’s questions, but not because of naiveté. Because of strength and fearlessness. Because she can always come up with a plan should she need to. This version has Red knowing she can outsmart the wolf versus not even knowing she should need to. And that grandma-get up that never feels believable in the original tale? Little Red sees right through it.
REPETITION OF AN IMPORTANT PHRASE THREE TIMES FOR EFFECT
“Which might have scared some little girls. But not this little girl.”
Little Red’s main quality is not being scared. Not because she can’t see the need to be but because she knows her wits will win. And so Woolvin tells us this three times. The last time, the reader will anticipate the phrase—it’s even spread out over a page turn—and it serves as denouement.
VISUAL DETAILS AND CLUES TO HUNT FOR
That axe! it almost gives me a shiver!
There are so many visual details to spot in this book: bunny, ladybug, hedgehog. But that integral axe stuck out to me as a storytelling device, a foretelling, a reassuring clue. When Little Red makes her plan, we can guess that axe might be key (but we’re never told!).
NOT SHYING AWAY FROM THE DARK OR GRIM
This page proves the point, right?! Wolf eats grandma and Woolvin does not back away from that fact. And yet there’s a comic effect in there as well, a playfulness that helps the reader cope with those jaws. I find the funny in the angle of Grandma’s feet and legs, a wink to tell us all will be well.
There’s even a scene of Red wearing the wolf’s fur. We know what that means! It’s also the first time we see her smile. In my reading she looks more mischievous and wild thing-esque than cruel. She’s celebrating her win in a savage way, but in a sense she’s also playing at this savage stuff.
KEEPING KEY STUFF OUT OF THE TEXT (+ WORDLESS SPREADS WORK)
We’re never told Red uses that axe or how. (Thank goodness!) Instead, we’re told what happens around it. “And the wolf leaped forward. Which might have scared some little girls…” That’s followed by that wonderful spread of Red’s eyes only. Those eyes with all the qualities we think of for a wolf: calculating, clever, and cunning.
Readers fill in the gaps themselves by following the visual story and clues. It’s not a trick per se, but in my mind it makes reading that much more fun when you’ve got a part in connecting the dots.
Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer, Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Ekua Holmes (2015).
