Week 2: Picture Books

This week's book feature many award-winning titles and a couple of memoirs. The first two feature immigrant families, with one being from the parent's perspective and the other from the son's. They are both personal stories that ask questions about this new way of life and also celebrate foods and items from their cultures in the illustrations. Most of the illustrations are done using traditional art supplies and Kadir Nelson's are worthy of any museum gallery for its portraiture. The last title has an illustration style that makes me think of the wonderful works of Quentin Blake - a free, expressionistic approach that is full of energy. All of these books feature artwork that allows the words or story to breathe on its pages without any push or pull between art and text.

A Different Pond written by Bao Phi and illustrated by Thi Bui

A Different Pond. By Bao Phi. Illustrated by Thi Bui. Capstone Young Readers, 2017. 32 pages. $15.95. ISBN 9781623708030

Ages 4-8. Written as a memoir, this Caldecott Honor book focuses on a young boy's relationship with his Vietnamese father. Waking early in the morning, they head for a local pond to fish, not for sport, but for dinner. The boy's job is to create a small fire to provide light for fishing and for quietly eating sandwiches. Once their catch has been made, the father is happy because they will get to eat dinner. Set during that time before dawn, Thi Bui's illustrations feature a dark color palette for the surroundings but this also allows for the faces of the characters to stand out. This allows the book to have a quiet, almost whispering tone to it. The illustrations also tell the story of poverty without having to say it out loud.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

Dreamers. By Yuyi Morales. Neal Porter Books, 2018. 40 pages. $18.99. ISBN 9780823440559

Ages 4-8. This Pura Belpré Award winner is a gentle telling about a mother and toddler's immigrant experience from Mexico. The slightly surreal illustrations are mostly rendered digitally with some photo collage spread throughout. Full of bright colors and folk imagery, we follow this pair as they find their way through San Francisco and the expectations of this new life. The story transitions into a love letter to the public library and what it means to learn how to read and speak a new language.

The Undefeated written by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

The Undefeated. Written by Kwame Alexander. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Versify, 2019. 40 pages. $17.99. ISBN 9781328780966

Ages 5-10. Kwame Alexander spreads out this lyrical poem across the pages in bold, large type in a way that speaks of strength. Kadir Nelson's artwork is crafted with rich oils that are set against a stark white background with the odd abstract shape or bright splash thrown in. His portraits of famous African American writers, musicians, athletes, and activists are realistically rendered to create a dynamic picture book with minimalist text. The back of the book features a list of every person illustrated complete with brief biography. It is no wonder that this book won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, Caldecott Medal, and Newbery Honor.

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

Wolf in the Snow. By Matthew Cordell. Feiwel and Friends, 2017. 48 pages. $17.99. ISBN 9781250076366

Ages 2-5. Aside from the assorted "bark" and "howl," this wordless picture book begins with a girl leaving school bundled up as a snow storm begins. On the opposite page, we watch as a wolf pup gets separated from his pack during the storm. These two unlikely friends come face to face and the girl carries the pup towards the sounds of the wolfpack. But what happens when she tries to find her own way home in the snow? Cordell renders his illustrations in the classic watercolor with pen and ink. They feature a wonderful balance of using the snow as negative space while the scratchy ink work adds energy to the whole.