14valentines Day 6: Motherhood
Today's 14valentines essay deals with motherhood. I know there are a lot of child-free people on my f-list, and I respect that, but what I can't respect are anti-mother and anti-child people. Even if it's not what you choose for yourself, I ask that you respect the fact that this is one of the miraculous things that our bodies can do, were made to do, and it's equal parts wonderful and terrifying.
Today I have 14 children's picturebook recommendations. I know those of you who read this journal on a regular basis have probably heard of some of these before--I clearly have favorites, as I'm sure you can see from my Olivia layout, and I will not rest until every person on the planet has read and loved David Gordon's Smitten--but they are, in fact, themed. These are all books about little girls or mothers that I tend to recommend to women to read with their daughters. There are some perennial favorites that I've left off--Eloise, Angelina--because I don't particularly like them and some books that I'm sure everyone's read. I think there's a good mix of new books and old books and some obscure enough that you probably haven't heard of them.
Today I have 14 children's picturebook recommendations. I know those of you who read this journal on a regular basis have probably heard of some of these before--I clearly have favorites, as I'm sure you can see from my Olivia layout, and I will not rest until every person on the planet has read and loved David Gordon's Smitten--but they are, in fact, themed. These are all books about little girls or mothers that I tend to recommend to women to read with their daughters. There are some perennial favorites that I've left off--Eloise, Angelina--because I don't particularly like them and some books that I'm sure everyone's read. I think there's a good mix of new books and old books and some obscure enough that you probably haven't heard of them.
- Olivia Saves the Circus - Written and Illustrated by Ian Falconer
Olivia is one of my absolute favorite children's books characters. She's an inquisitive little pig who dreams big and and isn't lacking the drive or self-esteem to tackle the things she wants to accomplish. She has a picture of Eleanor Roosevelt on her wall over her bed! Olivia is made for this list.
The Olivia books are all a ridiculous amount of fun, but Olivia Saves the Circus is my favorite. Olivia heads off to school where it's her turn to tell the class what she did on her vacation. She explains to them that her mother took her and her little brother Ian to the circus, but when they got there, all the performers were out with ear infections. "Luckily, I knew how to do everything."
I love Olivia for a million and one reasons, but the number one reason is that Ian Falconer puts so much effort into the little things that make Olivia believable as a little girls: specifying that the performers are out with ear infections, Olivia telling her classmates that her "new" little brother, William, couldn't go with them because he still had to take a nap, the way her story abruptly tangents at the end. It's a sweet and hilarious book; fun when reading with a child and just as fun reading it on your own.
- Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity Written and Illustrated by Mo Willems
Another staple of my children's book recs, Mo Willems is a mastermind. Knuffle Bunny Too was a Caldecott Medal Finalist this year, and with good reason. Willems mixes actual photographs of his neighborhood in Brooklyn with his distinctive illustrations to make the book twice as fun to look at as you read.
The book is a sequel, of sorts, to 2004's Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. The first book details Trixie speaking her first words ("Knuffle Bunny!") as an infant. Now Trixie is off to Pre-K and never stops talking. On Show and Tell day she's super excited to show off her special, one-of-a-kind Knuffle Bunny, only to discover that Sonia, another girl in her class, has a Knuffle Bunny too! After some in-class squabbling, the teacher confiscates both until the end of the day and then accidentally returns the wrong bunny to the wrong girl, a fact which escapes their attention until 2:30am.
Willems is similar to Falconer in the way that he adds character traits and actions to Trixie that make her seem real, probably because Trixie is based off Willems' own daughter of the same name. It's fun to read and fun to look at, as are all of Willems' books.
- Pinkalicious and Purplicious Written by Elizabeth Kann, Illustrated by Victoria Kann
I'm putting these under the same listing because they're in the same series but vastly different books. I recommend both, though, for different reasons.
Pinkalicious is a fun, fantastical story wherein Pinkalicious (who clearly loves everything to be pink) eats one too many of her mother's pink cupcakes with pink frosting. Overnight, she becomes pink! Her parents rush her to the doctor who says the only cure is to eat lots of green things to get back to normal. Pinkalicious wants to stay the way she is and is just tickled (wait for it...) pink to be her very favorite color. One cupcake too many, however, turns her to a less desirable color, at which point she overloads on green to go back to normal. It's a cute story that's more fun for girls than moms, but enjoyable none-the-less, with top-notch vivid illustrations.
Purpulicious is the sequel, but departs entirely from the premise of the first book. In Purplicious, Pinkalicious goes to school one day and discovers that pink is out and black is in. None of her friends will play with her anymore and suddenly her pink bedroom, pink clothes, and super cool pink ice cream seem less fun. She's tempted to veer from her love of pink to win back her friends, but then meets a new girl who teaches her that it's more important to be happy with who you are than to fit in. It's a really wonderful story about the pressure that little girls feel to be part of the crowd, even at a young age. A more interesting read than the first, but maybe because it's an entirely different type of story. The illustrations remain top-notch.
- Mad About Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans
I'd bet that almost every little girl knows who lives in the old house in Paris all covered in vines. (I told you there'd be some you've heard of!) Madeline has been around forever, and unlike some of the classics that lose their flavor over time (Babar isn't nearly as fascinating to me now as he was when I was a child--I suspect that I was so impressed by his spats that I didn't much pay attention to his story), Madeline still remains true to every rambunctious little girl out there.
This is a collection of all of the original Madeline books along with an essay by Anna Quindlen and some new sketches and essays by Ludwig Bemelmans. My favorite Madeline story remains the first--we're introduced to that old house in Paris, to the straight lines of girls, and, of course, to the smallest of all, who's appendix bursts one terrifying night. The full color pages are just as spectacular as I remember them from my childhood, and Paris is painted with such detail that you feel ready to slip into line with the twelve little girls and Miss Clavel.
- Zen Shorts Written and Illustrated by Jon J. Muth
I think there are very few books out there more beautiful than Zen Shorts. I think it's preposterous that Muth hasn't won a Caldecott yet (Although this was a Caldecott honor book). Although only one of the characters is a young girl, I still felt the need to include this on the list. It's visually stunning beyond words.
One day, Karl looks outside the window to his house and sees a panda bear. He calls for his brother, Michael, and they join their sister, Addy, in greeting Stillwater, who has just moved in next door. Over the next three days, each of the children visits Stillwater and he gifts each of them with a short tale that illustrates a zen principle. He tells Addy of his uncle, who would rather have nothing then send someone away without a gift. He tells Michael of an old farmer who learned that luck was tenuous and could change from bad to good based on circumstances. Young Karl, who is so angry with his brother he barely realizes how much fun he has with Stillwater, learns of a young Chinese monk who comes to realize that the effort of being angry about something is more than the effort of doing it and letting it go.
In a few of the earlier recommendations, I mentioned authors adding actions that gave the characters life. Muth does it all in illustrations, such as Addy and Stillwater painting pictures of each other as they talk and Karl sitting on one of Stillwater's giant paws as they spend an afternoon together. Each of the story-within-a-story pieces are illustrated with sketchy black ink that contrasts well with the soft and comforting watercolors of the rest of the book. Although it's only three years old, this is destined to become a classic. (Also check out the recently released sequel, Zen Ties, which is just as beautiful.)
- A Bad Case of the Stripes Written and Illustrated by David Shannon
Camilla loves green beans, but refuses to eat them because she knows that other kids don't like them. All she really wants to do is fit in, after all. This becomes impossible, however, when she wakes up before her first day of school with multicolored stripes all over her body. The stripes change color and shape based on suggestions from her surroundings in a subtle (for a kid, anyway) metaphor for children who will change what they are to fit in.
It's a story that's told over and over again in children's books (twice on this list, even), but that's because it's what kids need to hear. It's okay to be different. It's okay to be yourself. Don't worry. You're wonderful. In the end, turning back to normal is a snap once Camilla accepts who she is. A very funny, engaging story with cute illustrations from David Shannon.
- The Runaway Bunny Written by Margaret Wise Brown, Illustrated by Clement Hurd
Another one that everyone has read and probably cried over. A baby bunny tells his mother that he is going to run away from her, and she promises that she'd find him wherever he ran. Each scenario that he creates is countered by his mother and illustrated beautifully in a two page, full color spread.
I don't even know what I can say about this book, really. I think it's one of those books that everyone accepts as timeless and classic and just by saying the title you've already said enough.
(Regardless of what my boss says. ::shifty eyes::)
- That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown Written by Cressida Cowell, Illustrated by Neal Layton
This is one that I've just recently discovered. I really love the illustration style and I could relate to the priceless attachment to a stuffed buddy. I love the thought of little Emily Brown standing up to entire armies to protect her stuff rabbit Stanley, and I love Cressida Cowell's chapter books, so this makes the list.
Emily Brown and her rabbit Stanley are exploring space when there's a knock at her door. The Princess has sent a messenger to exchange a solid gold teddy bear for Stanley (whom he calls "Bunnywunny"). Emily refuses, and as the princess sends stronger and stronger forces with bigger and bigger compensation, Emily stands firm. When the Princess' army breaks into Emily's house to steal Stanley, she has had enough! She goes to the Princess' castle only to find that the Princess has patched Stanley's lopsided stuffing and ripped stitches. She manages to get Stanley back and gently explains to the princess (in my favorite scene of the book) that someone else's favorite toy can never replace the feeling of wearing your own toy out until it's a favorite.
- Priscilla and the Pink Planet Written by Nathaniel Hobbie, Illustrated by Jocelyn Hobbie
The first in a series about Priscilla, it's perhaps my favorite of the three. The illustrations and text both very strongly remind me of Dr. Seuss in the best possible way.
Priscilla lives on a planet where everything is pink. She loves pink, but she wants to see something new, so she sets out to start walking until she finds something more exciting. She finally, finally sees a multi-colored butterfly and rushes after it, only to have it snatched away by a rich woman who wants to do away with the awful non-pink colors. Priscilla discovers that this woman is behind the pink-ness of the planet and convinces her that having other colors around is the only way to appreciate how very pink pink can be.
I'm not a pink person (although I'm wearing a pink blouse right now), so I thought I'd hate this book immediately, but it won me over by page three. It's a great tool for keeping kids from overdoing it on their favorite anything, and an incredibly catchy story. The other Priscilla books are just as much fun, although, like with Pinkalicious, ironically enough, they deal with more concrete, real-world issues than the fantastical Pink Planet installment.
- The Paperbag Princess Written by Robert Munsch, Illustrated by Michael Martchenko
Munsch is most famous for his tear-jerking, heart-squashing book I'll Love You Forever, but this is my favorite of his offerings. Elizabeth is a beautiful princess with a fabulous castle and gorgeous dresses who is going to marry a dashing prince. That is, until a dragon comes by and burns down her castle, fries her dresses, and steals her prince. After waiting around for someone to rescue her, she decides she needs to do the rescuing. The only non-burned thing she can find is a paperbag, which she puts on and sets off on her journey.
No one takes her seriously wearing a paperbag, but Elizabeth is still able to make her way to the dragon and rescue her prince. Along the way, she realizes that she's happier without fancy dresses and posh palaces and decides to stay as she is, especially after her prince rejects her rescue because she looks so ratty. It's a great story about disappointment and expectations and a hilarious twist on the classic princess trope.
- Players in Pigtails Written and Illustrated by Shana Corey
This is actually a non-fiction picture book that I initially wrote off as a half-assed female empowerment sports book (girls can play baseball too! :D :D) until I took a closer look. It's actually about the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (yes, the one from A League of Their Own.) and the girls from all over the country who just didn't fit in before they got the chance to show their stuff on the field.
It follows, roughly, a young girl named Katie Casey who can't dance or cook or sew or do any of the things girls are supposed to be able to do, but could catch a ball in a mitt with her eyes closed. Her story is interspersed with glimpses of the war's effect on the sport and the need for women players. Lots of really interesting stuff that I didn't know, phrased on a level that young girls can easily understand. The most fascinating part of it, for me, was learning that the song "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" actually explicitly references the AAGPBL and Katie Casey specifically. Very cool.
- Alice the Fairy Written and Illustrated by David Shannon
I didn't even realize I had two David Shannon books on the list until just now. That just goes to show that David Shannon kicks ass.
I'm incredibly endeared to this book, which tells the story of Alice, who is a temporary fairy. She explains that she's not a permanent fairy because you have to pass a lot of tests to be a permanent fairy. The story is told from Alice's point of view, filled with magic and exaggerations, but Shannon's illustrations tell the supplemental story, as we see that Alice's fairy dust to turn oatmeal into cake is a heap of sugar and using her magic wand to turn Daddy's cookies into hers really just involves eating them before he can see. Alice isn't the most well-behaved fairy, so beware if you're one of those parents who wants only good literary role models. But she's full of spunk and simply adorable, even as she's running around the house being a holy terror. A solid, fun story from David Shannon.
- Fancy Nancy: Bonjour Butterfly Written by Jane O'Connor, Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
The brand new adventure from Fancy Nancy (and I mean "brand new:" the book came out yesterday.), who's a fabulous newer character for little girls. In Fancy Nancy, Nancy's first outing, we are introduced to Nancy who does everything fancy. Her family is very plain, so she attempts to give them fancy lessons, which don't exactly stick. In her second book, Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy, Nancy tries to convince her family that one of those little purse!dogs would be the perfect addition to their household and would totally give them extra fancy points. This time she's nearly overcome with exhilaration (that's a fancy word for joy) at the idea of her friend Bree's butterfly-themed birthday party, only to discover that she will be visiting her grandparents that weekend and unable to attend. She has a glorious (that's a fancy word for great) time anyway, and even gets to have a butterfly encounter of her own.
As a little girl I was the exact opposite of Nancy, but I can't help but find her endearing anyway. I love the narration style of the book and I absolutely adore the detail given to all of Nancy's possessions and outfits, which are always adorable and over the top and wonderful. It's a really, really fun series, for Fancy and Regular readers alike.
- Smitten: A Lint-Free Love Story Written and Illustrated by David Gordon
You knew this was going to be on here. For those of you not on my friends list, this book is the love of my Children's Department Bookselling Life. I did a queer reading of this book over IM one night. I love it more than almost any of the books that have been released since I started my job at The Bookstore. It is everything I ever wanted in a children's book and the themes are wonderful and the characters are engaging and I adore it.
Our story is about a pink mitten who was abandoned on a post in the part, who finds a blue sock on the ground who has fallen out of a laundry basket. They feel very alone, as they're used to being part of a pair, so they decide to go out together and find their missing halves. They get dirty and decide to go to the laundromat, where Sock shrinks. Not long after, he gets stretched out by some dogs. Mitten becomes unraveled, and rather than abandon her, Sock learns how to knit so he can put her back together. At the end, they realize, of course, that they don't need to find their missing halves. They have each other, and they make a pair on their own.
IT'S ABOUT A MITTEN AND SOCK THAT FALL IN LOVE. Guys, I love this book. I can't praise it enough. Sock and Mitten have distinct personalities--Mitten is a little snobbish and persnickety and Sock is more confused and laidback. They go through all of these things together and make sacrifices for one another and in the end, they don't need anyone else but each other. It's adorable, the pictures are bright and vibrant and gleeful and the entire book feels like a warm hug. Even if you don't have a kid or don't read kids' books, take a trip into Barnes and Noble and read this book. It will take you five minutes and it will make you feel infinitely happy afterwards. It's simple and fun and funny and one of the best love-stories I've read recently in any genre. READ THIS BOOK. I promise you that you won't regret it.