Five-​Word Reviews: All at Once Upon a Time; Don’t Invite a Bear inside for Hanukkah; Nocturnal Nico; Oak; When Love Is More Than Words

cover image All at Once upon a TimeAll at Once Upon a Time
Author: Mara Rockliff
Illustrator: Gladys Jose
Harry N. Abrams
10 September 2024
48 pages

Ryan’s five-​word review: Upside-​down classics. More mashup mayhem!

4 out of 5 giggles and guesses


Don’t Invite a Bear Inside for Hanukkah
Author: Karen Rostoker-​Gruber
Illustrator: Charles Arbat
Apples & Honey Press
5 November 2024
32 pages

Ryan’s five-​word review: Messy bear…meaningful holiday magic.

4.25 out of 5 latke laughs


Nocturnal Nico: A Bedtime Picture Book for Night Owls
Author: Gabe Jensen
Illustrator: Gabe Jensen
Familius
15 October 2024
32 pages

Ryan’s five-​word review: Late-​night fun with night-​loving friends.

3.75 out of 5 owl hoots


Oak: The Littlest Leaf Girl
Author: Lucy Fleming
Illustrator: Lucy Fleming
Candlewick
10 September 2024
32 pages

Ryan’s five-​word review: Courage through autumn’s chill. Leap!

4.25 out of 5 woodland wonders


Author: Jocelyn Chung
Illustrator: Julia Kuo
Nancy Paulsen Books
15 October 2024
32 pages

Ryan’s five-​word review: Love’s language lives in action.

4 out of 5 heartfelt hugs

Picture Book Review: Bear Is Never Alone by Marc Veerkamp

Author: Marc Veerkamp
Translator: Laura Watkinson
Illustrator: Jeska Verstegen
Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
4 April 2023
32 pages

This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (Owner/​Operator of Only Picture Books) and Florida-​based freelance illustrator Gladys Jose.

 

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

Veerkamp’s English-​language debut (which Laura Watkinson translated from the Dutch original) in an interesting one. Here’s the story.

From page one, everyone in the forest knows that Bear’s piano playing is magnificent. The forest creatures crowd around to hear every delicious note. So good!

Suddenly, there’s a YAAAAAWWWWWNNNN!

Who’d be so rude as to interrupt this wonderful concert? Not Monkey. Not Squirrel. Not Turtle.

Was it…Bear?

Yep, Bear is done with music for now and simply wants a break. He just wants to be alone, though that’s a real problem because the others aren’t okay with it. The way the animals stalk him and insist on more music–like he owes it to them!–seems to be vaguely reminiscent of how paparazzi swarms celebrities and expect them to deliver 247.

Eventually, Bear shakes his pursuers and ends up alone. Or so Bear thinks. But look–Zebra is nearby (and I can’t help but note how Zebra’s stripes are newsprint–so cool). Zebra’s not pushy or demanding, though. In fact, Zebra wants to do something in return for Bear playing such beautiful music. Zebra offers to read Bear a story.

No way, decides Bear because all he wants is to be left alone. But…being told a story is pretty good. Is there somehow a way for both animals to get what they want?

I won’t spoil the final spread, but it’s a cute, satisfying moment.

Introverted readers will see themselves in how powerfully Bears years for silence and solitude. Others who perhaps aren’t as attuned to that angle will likely see this as a story about respecting boundaries or showing kindness.

Regardless of how apparent the social-​emotional lessons are to readers, this simple story with captivating art is thoughtful and welcome. I look forward to seeing more of Veerkamp’s work being translated into English.

4.5 out of 5 pencils

 

–Gladys’ Review of the Illustrations–

The art for Bear Is Never Alone is absolutely stunning!

The illustrations for this book are rendered in brilliant silhouetted black and white figures and shapes, with a bold red color for small details. The use of negative space was used so thoughtfully throughout. It’s the type of art readers will want to take time and look through slowly, as there are little details hidden throughout. In some places the negative space is actually other imagery, another animal, or elements of the forest.

The lone zebra character’s “stripes” being text is a creative and lovely touch, tying in to the book that they were hoping to comfort bear with–the same way that the bear’s solid bold silhouette mimics the grand piano.

I appreciate how the lone zebra was actually introduced from the start of the book, but never mentioned through the text and you could see he was different than the other animals and would play a bigger role eventually.

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed this picture book. Both the words and art were lovely! It’s definitely a book worth having on your shelf and worthy of re-reads.

5 out of 5 crayons


Gladys Jose is an illustrator and storyteller. She graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2012, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, specializing in graphic design. She’s the illustrator of the Fresh Princess series (HarperCollins), The Elephants’ Guide to Hide-​and-​Seek (Sourcebooks), and Clayton Parker Really Really REALLY Has to Pee (Abrams), as well as other upcoming books.
She lives in the sunny state of Florida with her supportive loving husband, energetic brilliant daughter, and a very sweet pup named Miles.

Picture Book Review: Toasty by Sarah Hwang

Author: Sarah Hwang
Illustrator: Sarah Hwang
Margaret Ferguson Books
4 May 2021
32 pages

This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (Owner/​Operator of Only Picture Books) and Florida-​based freelance illustrator Gladys Jose.

 

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

There’s no doubt about it–the main character in Sarah Hwang’s Toasty is pretty darn cute. He’s a piece of toast, after all, with arms, legs, and a little face. I’ll resist sharing too much of my non-​expert opinion on the art because I have the terrific Gladys Jose to do that, but I must note this. Toasty’s problem–a wish, really–is to be a dog. Once we realize that, it’s just so easy to see his face as a doggy face in a way that wasn’t evident at the start. That’s a clever bit of art making there!

The story is all about Toasty trying to be a dog. He can bark and he has a collar, but he stinks at rolling and chasing cats. He keeps trying canine things with a determination that might be called “dogged.” In the park, Toasty goes from trying to play with dogs to being the thing they want to play with. He hides in a sandwich and just as the dogs seem ready to gobble him up…a girl rescues him. He woofs in response, and she more or less adopts him as a pet. Not just as any pet, but a dog!

I’m charmed by the art, the dilemma this anthropomorphic piece of toast faces, and the ending (finding a way to be a dog-​like companion for someone despite his non-​dog characteristics). Yet I have questions.

Question 1–The book is super-​lean on text. That’s fine, but it requires what’s there to have to really sing at the same level of goodness as the fun imagery. Given that level of attention, the first line doesn’t really hold up. In fact, most editors strongly recommend against beginning picture books with “Hi, I’m_​_​_​_​” or “This is _​_​_​_​.” The reason why is easy to see–readers want story. An introduction can happen in the course of story or action versus a static narrative beginning. Why not just start with “Toasty loved to watch the dogs outside this window play”?

Question 2–If Toasty is just discovering his desire to be a dog, why does he already have a collar and leash (and not just one but several collars because he has a “best collar”)?

Question 3–Isn’t the girl swooping in to save him stealing Toasty’s agency for solving his own problems?

Ultimately, I have mixed feelings about Toasty. Am I being too crusty? Maybe. But no matter what, that little toast character is terrific. I can’t help but feel that an industry gatekeeper was so charmed by the image and idea of Toasty–that spread where he hides atop a sandwich is darling!–that the story didn’t matter as much.

Some reviewers and readers will counter my questions by saying it’s just quirky or strange in the same way an imaginative child might tell a story. Maybe. If that’s the argument, I’m not persuaded. And yet I’m so taken by the character and his strange desire that I find myself liking a lot about this book. From the response of other readers and reviewers, I’m not along in that appreciation. I just wish the story would’ve given us one just-​believe-​it thing (this piece of toast operates like a person), because the rest could easily have worked with real-​world logic.

Regardless, I look forward to seeing more of Sarah Hwang’s work. She’s clearly a talented picture book creator.

3.75 out of 5 pencils

 

–Gladys’ Review of the Illustrations–

Toasty was a visually tasty treat. Not that I’d ever dare feast on Toasty!

I absolutely adored Sarah Hwang’s picture book. There’s an innocence and tenderness that just left me smiling and feeling satisfied at the end.

Art comes in so many styles, rendering techniques, and media. Sarah is very proficient in her art style. I absolutely love that this isn’t super rendered with layers and layers of color and details. Sarah added exactly what is needed in each illustration and nothing is unintentional. From things happening in the foreground to every minor detail in the background–like the silhouettes in the window of the last page that she uses to re-​enforce the difference between toasty and the others.

I love how you can see the layers of color underneath some of the paint strokes. It makes Sarah’s art seem more genuine and honest which works so perfectly with the story and the intended audience.

Her character designs are great and I’m especially in love with Toasty as a character. It’s a challenge to bring life to non-​living things–especially a square toast of bread!–without having it look lifeless and stiff. Or there’s the other problem of adding “too much life” and losing the original form of the character. But Sarah beautifully avoids that with just a few simple details and with the looseness of her paint strokes. Toasty seems very much like a piece of toast, but simultaneously it’s presented as toast that’s somehow alive! Plus, I mean, just look at him–he’s so darn cute!

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed this picture book. Both the words and art were superb! It will definitely be a re-​read for my daughter and me.

5 out of 5 crayons


Gladys Jose is an illustrator and storyteller. She graduated from the University of Central Florida in 2012, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, specializing in graphic design. She’s the illustrator of the Fresh Princess series (HarperCollins), The Elephants’ Guide to Hide-​and-​Seek (Sourcebooks), and Clayton Parker Really Really REALLY Has to Pee (Abrams), as well as other upcoming books.
She lives in the sunny state of Florida with her supportive loving husband, energetic brilliant daughter, and a very sweet pup named Miles.