Category: Picture Book Reviews

Picture Book Review: A Dog Named Doug by Karma Wilson and Matt Myers

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A Dog Named Doug
Author: Karma Wilson
Illustrator: Matt Myers
Margaret K. McElderry Books
26 June 2018
40 pages


This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (“Best of Show” winner at Only Picture Books) and Ringling College of Art and Design Illustration Professor David C. Gardner.

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

Choosing what to run with for this month’s review proved easier than usual–I’m a Karma Wilson fan (Bear Snores On got worn out in the Van Cleave household), and I’m a dog lover (rumor has it that I’ve twice chased a mailman). So when A Dog Named Doug arrived, it barked dug its way to the top of the list where it stayed. Like a good dog book should.

So here’s the story: A dog (named Doug) digs. He digs more. And more. And more. And then he goes to bed where he (1% spoiler here) dreams of digging in a (decidedly strange, and possibly too weird for some kids) dreamworld.

To be fair, a dog who digs because dogs like to dig isn’t much of a plot. But the book has three things really going for it that quite likely overcome any real or perceived weakness in the basic premise.

  1. The art is both compelling AND clever. See David’s review about that aspect of the book below.
  2. I have to mention the art again. Sorry to step on your toes so much, David. But the terrific art by illustrator Matt Myers frequently works as typography, such as a dirt mound becoming an A in “I can dig better than you!” or many dirt mounds becoming Ms in “Many miles of dirt Doug dug, leaving heaps and piles and mounds of mud.”
  3. The refrain of “Oh boy, did Doug dig!” is sure to encourage readers to shout it out during storytime. Plus the loose, easy rhymes that Karma’s known for are present here as well.

Part of the fun here is that Doug’s digging takes him to a whimsical range of destinations. The Old West. The White House (note the female POC/​President of Color). The ocean floor. Stonehenge. Some kind of Egyptian tomb. And even a bowling alley. He even digs to the other side of the earth where the perspective is, quite reasonably, upside down.

It’s a fun, rollicking book, to be sure. But some readers could get tripped up with the tongue-​twister start, and others might find the entire tail (yep–a pun!) a bit one note (Doug/​dog/​dug).

In sum, this is a playful book that could be–for the right child and adult reader–an enjoyable bedtime story with serious read-​aloud potential.

4 out of 5 pencils paws

–David’s Review of the Illustrations–

The cover starts us off on just the right note, with a vignette placing Doug digging in the text against a stark white background–a lovely, graphic design–and painted with such vigor that you can feel the dog digging furiously, happy, if a bit manic, capturing perfectly in one image what the book is about.

The palette is bright, saturated, and lighthearted without ever tipping into garishness. The whole book has the feel of an animated Looney Tunes short–madcap and raucous. The layouts are cinematic, utilizing a variety of close-​ups and long shots, and the brushwork is loose and energetic, with dabs of acrylic and oil paint so juicy and playful that you can almost feel them popping off the page.

What I appreciate most about Matt Myers’ illustrations are that they veer alongside and, at times, away from, the minimal text, often taking the lead and keeping us guessing: Where will Doug pop up next? The pictures, not the text, make this book a page turner.

This is exactly what Maurice Sendak suggested the pictures should do in a picture book–depict not just what the words are telling us, but take the story even further.

When Doug decides to head home, the text only tells us Doug is digging. But Mr. Myers turns the vignettes depicting Doug’s journey into a cartoony delight, with no rhyme or reason except to entertain a young reader (and their adult companion).

Near the end, the text tells us only that Doug was in his bed. But the illustration shows Doug in his owners’ bed, dreaming away. It’s an inspired choice–another gentle gag as the book is winding down.

A final example–and my favorite moment in the entire book–is when Doug digs all the way to China. The text only reads “Oh boy, did Doug dig, and dig, and dig.” In this fantastic spread, and with the help of some inspired handling of text, Mr. Myers shows that he can still see the world through a kid’s eyes.

Sharing the storytelling duties with the author to this extent is an illustrator’s dream. Matt Myers rises to the occasion splendidly.

4 out of 5 crayons dirt mounds

David C. Gardner is an award-​winning illustrator and visual development artist. A former artist for Walt Disney Animation Studios, he has illustrated numerous picture books, including his latest from Sleeping Bear Press, Write On, Irving Berlin! by Leslie Kimmelman (which appeared on OPB not so long ago). It tells the true story of little Izzy Baline, who immigrated to New York City in 1893 and grew up to become Irving Berlin, one of the most well-​known composers of popular music in America. David teaches illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design.

To learn more about his work, please visit FlyingDogStudio.com.

(Ryan’s note: With a website name like that, you can see why I asked him to pitch in for this month’s review!)

Picture Book Review: Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival

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Perfectly Norman
Author: Tom Percival
Illustrator: Tom Percival
Bloomsbury Children’s Books
1 May 2018
32 pages

 


This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (Employee of the Month at Only Picture Books) and Florida-​based author/​illustrator Linda Shute.

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

Maybe it’s because I’ve been binge-​watching Glee or because I have a teen and a tween living under my roof, but I’m smitten these days by books that encourage young people to be who they are versus who others want them to be. And that’s the story here with poor Norman who plays with his dog and seems just like every other little boy until one day, he sprouts a set of beautiful wings. He flies and zooms and soars, as happy as can be. But then he gets worried what everyone else will think. No one else has wings, do they? What will they all think?

So he hides those wings under a big coat and kind of huddles into himself.

As one would expect, wearing a big yellow jacket all the time is no fun and creates its own set of problems. Bath time? Bed time? Birthday parties? Yikes. “The coat was hot and uncomfortable, but Norman had decided that no one should see his wings–ever.” Norman remains in misery on the sidelines while the other kids go about their lives and do kid stuff.

Finally, thanks to the encouragement of his parents, Norman sheds his coat and reveals his glorious, colorful wings. And in doing so, a few of his peers are empowered to do the same and show their own wings. The sky is filled with flying kids who are having the time of their lives.

So while Norman might not be “perfectly normal,” he is “perfectly Norman,” and that’s far more important, he realizes at last.

Of course, the wings symbolize freedom and the story is fairly on-​the-​nose regarding its message that it’s better to accept your true identity than to live any type of lie. That’s a message every parent can support.

Many readers will feel uplifted by this tale of finding one’s place in the world. An enjoyable and satisfying read.

4 out of 5 pencils

–Linda’s Review of the Illustrations–

Right from the git-​go, it is hard to miss Perfectly Norman. The book stands a foot tall and gleams life-​jacket red. Even the brush script title glows in the semi-​dark. Strongly designed by Bloomsbury’s Goldy Bond, it is the ideal format to be read and shown to a young group because the target audience is not just the “Normans” out there, but their friends and classmates. Percival’s characters are drawn simply and lightheartedly with emotional appeal, inviting reader identification.

Norman lives in a sepia suburb. The townhomes, his diverse friends, and even his parents (one noticeable darker than the other) occupy bland tonality, but NOT NORMAN! He is the colorful character in their midst starting on page one. The only creatures, besides Norman, who live in the domain of color are the birds, in their bit of blue sky—a spoiler clue revealed on page two that can be enjoyed upon rereading. The spotlight is on Norman in his yellow clothing, and on the birds and (Let’s not forget!), the multi-​hued wings, focusing young listener/​viewers on Norman’s journey right through to its chromatically joyous conclusion.

And once Norman’s story is revealed…well, there’s time to go back and wander the interesting, humorous, warm details of his sepia world. This is a picture book that works on many levels.

4 out of 5 crayons


Linda Shute is an author/​illustrator who earned a degree in art and art history at Florida State University and taught children’s book illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design.
She loves peanuts and beach sunsets.

Picture Book Review: If You Had a Jetpack by Lisl Detlefsen and Linzie Hunter

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If You Had a Jetpack
Author: Lisl Detlefsen
Illustrator: Linzie Hunter
Knopf Books for Young Readers
24 April 2018
32 pages

 


This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (The Man Behind the Curtain at Only Picture Books) and Ringling College of Art and Design Illustration Professor John Herzog.

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

If You Had a Jetpack is predicated on one of those ideas that only the right type of imagination will recognize as potentially terrific (kid + jetpack = ?). Clearly Lisl Detlefsen is just such a writer.

In this story, a rabbit is bored, so it invents  …  a jetpack. His little brother gets jealous—as little brothers so often do when siblings have cool things—so older brother invents a second one, allowing them to embark together on adventures that only jetpack-​power can provide. The A‑then-​B-​then‑C linked progression of  the increasingly fantastical situations pleasantly echoes the structure of Numeroff’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

One of the real treats in this story is how so many of the adults need a hand from these smart bunnies. For example, when little brother is left with Nana so big brother can visit the astronauts in space who ask for “help with a slight spaceship repair.” Enter the clever, industrious, jetpack-​creating bunny! For this effort, the President offers him a special medal at a ceremony with autographs, photos, and interviews. How does the inventor bunny handle it? “Modestly.”

Throughout this story, there are various adverbs (-ly words) like “patiently,” “bravely,” and “persistently.” These are always set off on the page to highlight their importance and to encourage readers to consider their meaning. Many of these words will be known by kid readers, but a few might provide a chance for a vocabulary increase (in a fun way!).

One final observation: this STEM-​friendly book is written in second person, so the empowering message is about these clever little bunnies, for sure, but equally about the profound creative capability within us all (“Putting it together might be tricky, but since you’re clever, you’d figure it out eventually.”).

Highly recommended and loads of fun for parents and youngsters alike.

4.25 out of 5 pencils

–John’s Review of the Illustrations–

In 2018, most people are unable to tell if a movie was shot on film or shot digitally. Over the last ten years, digital technology has arguably caught up to where analog technology has been for almost a century. So how does this relate to the picture book in question? Well, as I looked at the wonderful illustrations in If You Had a Jetpack, I was convinced that they were created using traditional means—paint, pencil, pastels, screenprinting, etc.

I was, to my delight, completely wrong. More on that in a moment.

As an illustrator, I know how incredibly difficult it is to maintain a style when you’re dealing with a variety of characters and locations. Linzie Hunter makes it look so easy here. Her characters inhabit this universe with an incredible appeal that’s not only fun but also appropriate to the story.

This book reads like a young child wrote it, and while the illustrations are done in a somewhat juvenile vein, they never feel pandering or desperate. The colors remind me of those prominently used by NASA designers in the late 60s/​early 70s, which adds even more appeal as it deals with classic “space age” technology. A few pages feel a bit too busy, which hinders the flow of the text a little. But it’s a minor complaint against an otherwise delightful picture book.

Back to technology—at the end of the book, it’s noted that the illustrations were created using Procreate on the iPad Pro. While I would’ve enjoyed this book no matter how the illustrations were created, this delighted me because these are my tools of choice as a professional illustrator. But the reality is that, with digital technology catching up to traditional media, the tools don’t matter as long as you have an understanding of the fundamentals and how to use the tools. Linzie Hunter has a great understanding of both, and I’m excited to see more from her.

4 out of 5 crayons

John Herzog is an illustrator and character designer. He also teaches illustration classes at Ringling College of Art and Design. He lives in Florida with his wife, two kids, a pair of tarantulas, and a fish.
 

Picture Book Review: Mixed: A World of Colour

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Mixed: A World of Colour
Author: Arree Chung
Illustrator: Arree Chung
Henry Holt and Co.
3 July 2018
40 pages

 

This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (Top Tamale at Only Picture Books) and Florida-​based author/​illustrator Fred Koehler.

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

Arree Chung’s new picture book, Mixed, feels tailor-​made for the discordant world of today. Three colors–Blues, Reds, and Yellows–all live together in relative peace and harmony, until one day, Reds quite suddenly declare that they’re the best. The Yellows respond: “No! We’re the BEST because we’re the brightest!” (The Blues? They’re “too cool” to even point out what is obvious to them–Blues are best!)

As a result, the colors segregate themselves to color-​specific parts of the city. Then one day, a Yellow befriends a Blue. Before long, a new color emerges (Spoiler: Yellow + Blue = Green) and the world is full of new, exciting possibilities that create a sense of togetherness and belonging.

This sweet tale teaches readers about basic colors and how they mix to create new colors. But it also shares a non-​didactic message of  tolerance, understanding, and valuing differences that young people–and adults–can’t hear enough.

The simple, declarative sentences are potent and appropriate. Equally valuable, they’re of a level that most kids will be able to say aloud as the story is read and re-​read. That participatory element is an important part of internalizing this powerful message.

This book is so charming and spot on that I’ll even overlook the bonus “u” in the title word “colors,” which I acknowledge is the standard spelling in pretty much every English-​speaking country EXCEPT America. (If you have an issue with that, blame Noah Webster! I do!)

4.75 out of 5 pencils

–Fred’s Review of the Illustration–

Picture book artists often feel like we need to fill our pages with loads of detail to successfully tell a story. Just look at any book I’ve illustrated! 😂

The real magic happens when an artist becomes so good at their craft that they can tell MORE story with LESS detail. Some contemporary geniuses at this include folks like Greg Pizzoli, Debbie Ohi, Hervé Tullet, Oliver Jeffers, and, may I submit, Arree Chung.

Mixed isn’t just a hope-​filled parable about the beauty of inter-​chroma coupling. It’s an absolute masterclass in visual storytelling. I mean, how many variations can you have on a simple, colored dot anthropomorphized to have human(ish) qualities? Apparently dozens and dozens. The beauty of Chung’s work is in the consistent, fun, unexpected details that give life and personality to each of his characters.

As the story builds, so do the visual details, matching pace with the tension in the words. Then, unexpected things happen. And as you reach the penultimate scenes, you’ll be crying multicolored prisms of joy.

Aside from the visuals, my other favorite part is that by using colored dots as stand-​ins for people, Chung has given us room to discuss important issues of race without the need to get defensive or point fingers. I recommend this book for all collections.

5 out of 5 crayons

Fred Koehler is an artist and storyteller whose real-​life misadventures include sunken boats, covert border crossings, and fighting off robbers in the dead of night. Whether free diving in the Gulf of Mexico or backpacking across Africa, Fred’s sense of adventure and awe of nature overflow into his characters’ stories.

Between book projects, Fred also runs a highly-​sought after design studio, helping brands across the US learn to tell their own stories.

Fred is passionate about encouraging young artists, promoting social justice, and conserving our environment. He lives in Florida with his wife, kids, and a rescue dog named Cheerio Mutt-​Face McChubbybutt.

Picture Book Review: They Say Blue by Jillian Tamaki

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They Say Blue
Author: Jillian Tamaki
Illustrator: Jillian Tamaki
Abrams Books for Young Readers
13 March 2018
52 Pages

 

 

This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (Big Cheese at Only Picture Books) and Ringling College of Art and Design Illustration Professor Katy Betz.

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

Caldecott and Printz Honor-​winning illustrator Jillian Tamaki’s They Say Blue clocks in at a beefy 52 pages versus the far leaner (and more traditional) 32-​page format. That’s not to say that this is a text-​heavy book, however. In fact, most pages with text only have 10 words or so, which makes sense since the strength of this quiet book resides in Tamaki’s compelling illustrations.

The main character is an inquisitive young girl who undergoes an almost philosophical exploration on the idea of color starting with the blue of the sky and the sea and ending with black crows flying: “Tiny inkblots on a sea of sky.” In many ways, the somewhat lyrical, nonlinear story is about curiosity–it has a kind of imaginative carpe diem feel throughout, or at least a “stop and smell the roses” lesson. But some readers might find the text a bit meandering and the ending too abrupt to be as richly satisfying as the wonderful artwork.

To be clear–there is no plot. It’s far more of a series of vignettes or musings.

Those who prefer picture books that generate discussion might find the girl’s color- and season-​based ponderings to be quite fruitful. For example, what reader won’t react when she cups water in her hands and says, “I toss it in the air to make diamonds”? Or when she stretches her arms to the sky and somehow transforms into a tree?

In sum, They Say Blue is a memorable book with more than a few picture-​perfect spreads, though it’s clearly the expressive artwork that carries the day.

3.75 out of 5 pencils

–Katy’s Review of the Illustration–

Jillian Tamaki’s illustrations in They Say Blue burst with energy and soulful contemplation. Readers will discover hidden truths about life on each page, thanks to the imaginative narrative and clever compositions.

Using traditional media of acrylic on watercolor paper, Tamaki invites readers to wonder through use of bold colors and sweeping textures. Her imagery plays off the text beautifully–sometimes visually supporting what the main character is thinking, while other times purposefully contradicting to evoke curiosity and surprise. The power of color association is often used to enhance conceptual facts, making us feel something instead of just think. And a few sequential drawings throughout the book illuminate concepts of time and transformation, integrating both literal and metaphorical imagery seamlessly.

They Say Blue is a pictorial delight that will inspire readers to never lose their sense of wonder.

5 out of 5 crayons

A Professor of Illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design, Katy Betz works with both traditional and digital media and is active in the fields of children’s literature, gallery, and editorial illustration. When not working in the studio or classroom, she says that you can find her “playing outdoors in the Florida swamps or hiking the California Sierras with a sketchbook in hand.”

Katy is represented by Christy Ewers of CATugeau Agency.

Picture Book Review: The Big Bed by Bunmi Laditan and Tom Knight

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The Big Bed
Author: Bunmi Laditan
Illustrator: Tom Knight
Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers
6 February 2018
32 pages

 


This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (Top Banana at Only Picture Books) and Ringling College of Art and Design Illustration Professor John Herzog.

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

“Mommy. We have to talk,” says the protagonist of The Big Bed, a little cutie who’s All Business when it comes to getting what she wants: Daddy ousted from the bed that she and Mommy will share. It’s a fun twist on the age-​old issue of kids climbing into their parents’ bed at night.

This girl’s part carnival barker, part late-​night infomercial salesman, and part too-​cute-​to-​resist little kid. Who can blame her, though? Moms ARE “full of cozies” and plenty DO smell just like fresh bread. Few parents will be able to resist when the kid quite reasonably asks: “Who wouldn’t want to cuddle with her?”

What makes the language sing is the unexpected combination of formal, argumentative prose coupled with kidspeak. And Laditan does a fine job of keeping this self-​assertive girl’s attitude in check–it could quite easily get annoying if less skillfully managed. This is a clever, fun book.

Ladaitan’s third book is well worth reading and will deliver giggles and guffaws for both parents and kids alike.

4.25 out of 5 pencils

–John’s Review of the Illustrations–

I think everyone can relate to the central conflict of The Big Bed, which involves a little girl formally presenting reasons why her father should slumber elsewhere at bedtime. And the stylish illustrations by Tom Knight make it even more relatable and, more importantly, fun.

The treatment of the characters and the way they interact with each other are key throughout. As the little girl makes her case to dad, for example, she comes off as both a motivational speaker and a mob boss. And, of course, dad is seated on a small, plastic child’s chair that’s buckling a bit. Even minor characters like the cat and Grandma (specifically the pictures on Grandma’s wall) provide Easter eggs for repeated readings, which is always something I appreciate.

Bold colors, smart framing, and a fun style make The Big Bed a joy to both look at and read. Highly recommended.

4 out of 5 crayons

John Herzog is an illustrator and character designer. He also teaches illustration classes at Ringling College of Art and Design. He lives in Florida with his wife, two kids, a pair of tarantulas, and a fish.