A letter from Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, author and illustrator

A few weeks ago I reviewed a board book called Planting Seeds by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace. The pictures in the book were created using cut paper and other materials, and I thought they were charming. Being a curious sort of person (always!) I decided to write to Nancy to ask her about how she got interested in creating children's books, how she creates her art, and what inspires her. This is what she wrote.

Dear Friends, I’ve never met,

Hello! So, how did I become children’s book author and illustrator?  I gave up my day job and found out, too late, the CW about writing children’s books is – Don’t give up your day job! My day job had been working, for many years, with hospitalized children.

So, I signed up for 2 adult education courses that fall.  One was a 3 session traditional scherrenschnitte (you have to say that carefully) and the other was a 10 week children’s book writing and illustration course, that turned out to be 3 writing sessions and 7 illustrating.  Everyone in the class had art backgrounds, except me! The artist teaching the scherrenschnitte class brought in origami paper and said, “have fun!”  I did.  And then I thought, OK!   I’ll cut paper illustrations for the other class.  The instructor said, “You’ve found your medium!”

I use origami paper for my collage illustrations. The colors are so beautiful and vibrant. I use art papers and recycled paper - envelopes, bits of wrapping paper and doll house wall paper, brown paper bags and cardboard coffee cup holders, onion bags and even … dryer lint!  I use a glue stick, tiny scherrenschnitte scissors and very pointy tweezers to pick up the tiny pieces, rub them on a glue stick and place them.  The hardest things to cut are eyeglasses and snowflakes!   I also use photography in some of my books - real shells and seeds and real works of art in the LOOK books, NASA photographs in the STAR book and real objects for the sets in Ready! SET! 100^th Day.

Where do I get my ideas?  I’m inspired by SNOW, walking on the beach and finding SHELLS, taking LEAF WALKS in all seasons,  going APPLES APPLES APPLES picking,  gazing up at the night time sky at the STARS  STARS  STARS.  Out in nature, looking …listening… touching… I am filled with WONDER and questions. I love doing research and learning and having those  WOW!  I didn’t know that, moments!

The idea for POND WALK came not from a pond WALK but from a pond KAYAK… One summer day, my husband Peter and I carried our kayaks to the beach at Grout Pond. There were two boys scooping up salamanders, so we did too. We looked and touched and took photographs of them, then let them go. I tracked down a croaking frog sitting in a forest of cattails along the shore and he posed for his photo.  Floating on the pond were ducks and geese, quacking and honking.  There were dragonflies and damselflies flitting in the air. The damselflies, with their bright turquoise bodies, landed on our arms and hats. During our circumnavigation, we paddled by water lily pads with lovely white blossoms. Four turtles sunned themselves on a partially submerged log. As we approached they plopped into the pond and I knew this would make a great Buddy book!

 My Mom’s life-long role modeling of caring for others and our environment inspired me to write The Kindness Quilt, The Valentine Express, Recycle Every Day! and Count Down to Clean Up!  I guess I have BIG hopes for my books - that children will make mindful choices to be kind to others and the environment;  and that they will spend time outdoors in Nature and be filled with WONDER!

Happy spring!

Sending my warmest and best,

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book Ninety-Seven

I grew up reading the Tintin books, The Adventures of Asterix the Gaul, and the Lucky Luke books, and I have never lost my affection for comics and graphic novels. For this reason, I am delighted to see how many splendid graphic novels are making their way into the world of children's literature. Today's book is a wonderful title that is presented by Peter H. Reynolds (of Ish fame) and his company Fablevision. 

Zebrafish

Sharon Emerson

Illustrated by Renee Kurilla

Graphic Novel

For ages

9 to 12

Simon and Schuster, 2010, 978-1-4169-9525-8

   Vita has a used guitar and the name for a band, Zebrafish, but if she is going to be a part of a real band, she is going to need more people. Eager to make her dream a reality, Vita holds auditions and Tanya, Walt, Jay, and Plinko turn up. The problem is that none of them really know how to play a musical instrument. Then Jay suggests that they create a virtual band and make a video. Walt can create the art, Plinko and Jay can animate it, Tanya can write the words to the songs, and Vita can play the songs to accompany the video.

   Somehow, as the months pass, the five teenagers make progress on their video and they also find out things about each other. Vita finds out that Tanya is battling leukemia, and she also learns that her own big brother, who is studying ways to fight cancer, needs an expensive machine to make faster progress with his experiments. Since Vita’s mother died of cancer, she feels a special connection to Tanya, and she decides that they should use the band and their songs to do something meaningful, something that will help young people like Tanya.

   In this unique graphic novel, the author and illustrator have created a story that explores the way in which one girl’s dream builds and evolves, and the way in which she and her friends end up doing something that is bigger than all of them. The story shows that anyone can do something to make the world a better place.

   With wonderfully colorful and expressive illustrations and a great story, this is a book that graphic novel fans will want to add to their collections.

   Readers who enjoy this book should visit the Zebrafish website where they can watch movies of the story, listen to Vita’s song, play a game, and more.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book Ninety-Six

For spring break, just a few weeks ago, my family and I went away for tens days and I had a blissful time not working and not doing dozens of chores every day. I slept and dozed, and I realized that I was completely exhausted. I also realized that I am a bit of a workaholic. I take on so many writing and editing projects that I find myself scrambling to get everything done. I spend my life trying to keep up. Today's picture book is about a woman who discovers that too much work and no play really is not a good thing, which is something I need to keep in mind too.

Hammer Soup

Ingrid and Dieter Schubert

Picture Book

Ages 4 to 7

Lemniscaat, 2003, 978-1932425024

   Kate is a highly organized, very tidy, and extremely efficient sort of person, but she isn’t in the slightest bit friendly. In fact, one could even go so far as to say that Kate is downright grumpy. She likes things done her way, and all things messy, untidy, and disorganized irritate her. The sad thing about Kate is that she misses out on some of the fun things in life. When a huge, scatterbrained, messy, but extremely charming and friendly giant moves in next door, Kate is not pleased. She wants nothing to do with him, his animals, and his fun-loving and rather lazy ways.

   So, all summer Kate works and works, and the giant plays, sleeps, and loafs. Then the winter starts to approach and in no time at all a ranging storm has blown away the giant’s flimsy hut.  Now Kate may be an unfriendly sort, but she isn’t cold-hearted, and she soon has the giant in her house, out of the cold and the wet. What follows is a most extraordinary encounter between two very different kinds of people. The giant suggests that he should make a bit of soup, but of course Kate doesn’t want to use any of “her food” to make it. The giant has to become very resourceful and sensitive to overcome their differences. Can these two very opposite people find a middle ground?

   With wonderfully busy, detailed illustrations that are the delight of small children, and with a touching and simple story, the creators of this book amuse and entertain us. They also give us pause to think about the nature of people, and how too much of anything is not always a good thing, be it hard work, or hard play.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Ninety-Five

Every week I receive dozens of packages and boxes of books, and my daughter and I have a terrific time opening everything and exclaiming over the books I have been sent. Recently I got a big box from Random House, and one of the books in the box was today's picture book title. The moment I saw the cover I was intrigued. It shows a picture of the Eiffel Tower (I love Paris), and two cartoon cats riding a bicycle ( I love cats and cartoons.) When I read Ollie and Moon yesterday I found out that it is just as good on the inside as it is on the outside. What a wonderful way to start a new week.

Ollie and Moon

Diane Kredensor

Photographs by Sandra Kress

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Random House, 2011, 978-0-375-86698-2

   Ollie and Moon are a pair of cats who live in Paris and they are the best of friends. Ollie loves to surprise Moon, and Moon loves Ollie’s surprises. Actually, what Moon really enjoys is “trying to guess” what Ollie’s surprises are.

   One day Ollie arrives at Moon’s house and he buzzes his friend’s intercom. Ollie tells Moon that he has a surprise for her. Of course, Moon is delighted to hear this, and soon the two friends are walking through the streets of Paris so that Ollie can show Moon his surprise.

   On the way, Ollie gets hungry, so the friends stop at a cheese shop (there are lots of cheese shops in Paris) and Ollie gets some Brie to snack on. Ollie tells Moon that her surprise is round, just like the Brie. In the Metro (this is what they call the subway in Paris) Ollie does some funky dance moves for his friend and he tells her that his surprise is musical. Now Moon knows that her surprise is round and it is musical. What other hints is Ollie going to give Moon as they travel around Paris? When is he going to tell her what her surprise is?

   In this unique and utterly charming picture book, young readers will get to meet a pair of cats who are the best of friends. Ollie goes out of his way to give his friend Moon a surprise that she will never forget.

   Using photos of Paris that are overlaid with comic style illustrations, Diane Kredensor gives her readers a wonderful adventure that will keep them guessing. In addition, young readers will get to enjoy a bookish mini tour of Paris. Ahhh, c’est magnifique!  

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book Ninety-Four

Recently my family and I vacationed on the island of Kauai. We enjoyed the beach, admired the palm trees and the orchids, and we ate lots of seafood. We also were amazed to discover that the island is overrun with feral chickens. Truly. Everywhere you go there are wild chickens pecking for food, walking around, and crowing. The cocks seem to have to sense of time, so they crow all day long. Having dogged chickens for ten days, it seemed fitting to review a book about a very large chicken who has a unique problem. If you need a little humor in your life, then this is the book for you.

Chicken Big

Keith Graves

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 8

Chronicle Books, 2010, 978-0-8118-7237-9

   One day a chicken that lives in an “itty-bitty” coop on a “teeny” farm lays an absolutely enormous egg, and when the egg hatches an enormous chick pops out. None of the chickens in the coop know what the chick is. Then one not very bright chicken suggests that the chick is an elephant, and all the chickens decided that the “indoor elephant” is much too big to live in the coop. The poor chick is forced to leave the coop and he thinks about how he doesn’t “feel like an elephant.”

 The humongous chick soon learns that the chickens are not very clever at all. In turn, they think that the humongous chick is a squirrel, an umbrella, and a sweater. They simply cannot understand that the chick is actually a chick, albeit a very very large one. How is the humongous chick going to show the chickens that he is actually one of them?

   Young readers are sure to enjoy this loud-out-loud funny picture book with its often ridiculous characters and its unique artwork. They will find it hard to resist the gargantuan chick who wants so much to be recognized for what he really is. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book Ninety-Three

Almost every morning I have to remind my daughter to make her bed, and almost every morning she rolls her eyes and sighs as she goes to her room to complete the onerous task. Today's picture book takes a look at how generations of children in one family have complained about having to make their bed, and how generations of mothers have dealt with their complaints. I guess some things are truly timeless and universal.

Why do I have to make my bed? Or, a history of messy rooms

Wade Bradford

Illustrations by Johnna van der Sterre

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Random House, 2011, 978-1-58246-327-8

   One day a little boy asks his mother, “Why do I have to make my bed?” He has done all his other chores and he does not understand why he has to make his bed if it is “just going to get messed up again.”

   In response to this question, the little boy’s mother tells him that his question reminds her of a story about his grandmother. When she was little, the little boy’s grandmother did all her chores but she complained about having to make her bed. Her mother told her that she is not the only one to complain about having to make her bed; her grandfather did the exact same thing! After fetching water from the pump, dusting the phonograph, and picking up his toys he asked his mother, “Pray tell, Mother, why do I have to make my bed?”

   Generations of children in the little boy’s family have asked this question over the years. A girl in 1801 asks the question, a boy in 1762 asks the question, a girl in 1630 asks the question, and so it goes until a boy in 40,000 B.C. asks “Why me have to make bed?” What will his mother say?

   This amusing picture book explores the idea that some things never change. For hundreds and hundreds of years children have complained about having to make their beds, and for hundreds of years their mothers have been giving them the same answer.

   At the back of this book, the author provides his readers will information about Chores Through the Ages, which will show children that the chores that they do now, in the 21^st century, are a great deal easier than the ones that their ancestors had to do. Imagine having to plow fields, carry water from the pump or river, and collect cattle droppings to use as fuel for a fire! Perhaps making a bed is not so bad after all.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book Ninety-Two

When I was growing up one of my favorite subjects in school was geography. It distresses me to no end that my daughter is not being taught much in the way of geography in school, so I try to supplement her reading with books about distant places. Today's picture book is about how one young student's imagination takes him on a very unique journey around the world. I like the fact that the author includes lots of information about real seas and oceans at the back of the book. 

The Seven Seas

Ellen Jackson

Illustrated by Bill Slavin and Esperanca Melo

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 8

Eerdmans, 2011, 978-0-8028-5341-7

   A young white rabbit student is sitting in class when his teacher announces that they are going to learn about the Black Sea and the Red Sea. As Mrs. Martin talks and talks and talks, the student’s thoughts start to wander and soon he is no longer in his classroom. Instead, he is exploring the seven seas and all the lands around them “by train, by boat, by plane.”

    After travelling to Marrakesh in a bus, to Peru in a taxi, to Istanbul on a mule, and to Timbuktu on a yak, the little rabbit learns that it is said that the Yellow Sea is made of lemonade and that it is “quite all right to sip.” He sees that the Green Sea is full of broccoli that is twelve feet tall. The Red Sea looks like “pizza sauce,” and the Brown Sea is “made of chocolate. The Black Sea is also sweet and tasty to eat because it is made of licorice. What else will he discover on his journey? What will the Purple and Pink Seas be like?

   Learning about the Seven Seas and what they are like takes on a whole new meaning in this wonderfully amusing picture book. With its rhyming text and its funny illustrations, this book shows to great effect how vital it is to have an active imagination.

   At the end of the book, the author includes an informative section (with a map) that looks at the real Seven Seas. She also includes general information about what seas are, why they are blue, and more.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Ninety-One

Finding the courage to stick your neck out and be who you are, fashion-wise, is not easy. Many of us would rather fade into the background and not get noticed. Today you are going to meet a little girl who is determined to find a hairstyle that is different and memorable. 

Big Bouffant

Kate Hosford

Illustrations by Holly Clifton-Brown

Picture book

For ages 5 to 7

Lerner, 2011, 978-0-7613-5409-3

   It is the first day of school, and Annabelle is much disheartened when she sees that the girls in her class all have “ponytails and braids.” She decides that what her class needs is “some fashion” and “some fun,” so she sets out to find a hairdo that will bring a little pizzazz into her classroom.

   When she gets home, Annabelle notices a photograph of her grandmother who has “a marvelous tower of hair.” Annabelle begs her mother to arrange her hair in a bouffant that is as big as possible. Her mother responds by creating several other dos for Annabelle, none of which satisfy the little girl. Clearly, if she wants a bouffant, she is going to have to “do it myself,” which is when Annabelle finds out that it is not easy to create a bouffant that does not fall down, slip, or tip. Who knew that it would be so hard to create a fashionable hairstyle.

   This charming picture book with its delightful rhymes and its unique multimedia illustrations, is a tribute to all those young people who have the courage to be different and creative. They dare to follow their inclinations, and make the world a more colorful and interesting place in the process. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book Ninety

When I was a little girl I was, unfortunately, the kind of child who was bullied. I did not stand up for myself, nor did I ever have the courage to say "NO!" when I needed to. These days  parents, teachers, and school staff in many towns and cities are trying to find creative ways to put a stop to bullying. It is easy to say that a school has a "no bullying policy" but it is another thing altogether to try to enforce that policy.

In today's book you will meet a bully, and you will also meet two girls who stand up to her. This is a book that every young child should read because it shows to great effect that they can say no to a bully; they can change the situation without having to resort to violence.

You’re Mean Lily Jean

Frieda Wishinsky

Illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

Picture Book

Albert Whitman, 2011, 978-0-8075-9476-6

   Carly and her big sister Sandy play together all the time. They have wonderful adventures as they pretend to be dragons, knight, explorers, pirates, mountain climbers, and astronauts. Then one day Lily Jean moves in next door, and everything changes.

   Lily Jean suggests that she and Sandy should play house. Not surprisingly, Carly wants to play too, but Lily Jean says “No.” The only way Carly can play house is if she agrees to be the baby, which she consents to do, even though she does not really want to crawl around on her hands and knees.

   The next day Lily Jean comes over and she suggests that she and Sandy should play cowgirls. When Carly asks if she can play too, Lily Jean tells her that she can be the cow. Sandy suggests that they should have three cowgirls in their game, but Lily Jean insists that three cowgirls “are too many.” Reluctantly Carly plays the part of the cow, mooing and eating grass. Is she always going to have the crummy parts in their games? How long should she put up with “mean” Lily Jean and her mean ways?

   Wherever you go, you are going to find children like Lily Jean who are bossy and who like to be mean. They like to make other children feel small and left out, and it is not easy to know how to deal with them. Should one accept their demands or say “No.”

   With sensitivity and care, Frieda Wishinsky shows children how to deal with the Lily Jeans of this world. As they read the story, they will discover that there is even a way to turn a bully into a friend. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration - Book Eighty-Nine

Every parent, caregiver, or teacher is used to having their advice ignored. As a result, heads are bumped, fingers are burned on hot pans, pocket money is misplaced, goldfish expire, and so on. You get the idea I am sure. In today's picture book you will meet a child who ignores his mother's warning about what not to do on Doodleday, and he learns a valuable lesson. 

Doodleday

Ross Collins

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 8

Albert Whitman, 2011, 978-0-8075-1683-6

   Harvey’s mom is going to the store and she tells Harvey not to disturb his father. Harvey tells her that he will “just do some drawing,” which makes his mother completely freak out! Apparently it is “Doodleday” and “Nobody draws on Doodleday and that’’s that.”

   After his mother leaves, Harvey takes out some pencils and…yes indeed…he draws a picture. He draws a picture of a big blue “Fat…and hairy” fly. To Harvey’s horror, his picture becomes a huge (as in as big as a small cow) fat and hairy fly doddle that flies around and creates havoc in the kitchen. What is Harvey to do?

   Quickly Harvey draws a big purple hairy spider. Everyone knows that spiders eat flies. Right? Wrong. Harvey’s doodle spider is not interesting in the fly. Instead, it is interested in Harvey’s dad, and soon the poor man is trussed up and unable to move. Clearly, Harvey has a lot to learn about the dangers of Doddleday.

   This wonderful picture book will delight young artists and make readers of all ages laugh out loud. With its expressive illustrations (complete with pencil doodles) and its unique story, this is a book that children will want to read again and again.