The school year is over and this teacher-author is really ready for a break! Yes, I know many of you in the rest of the country have been out of school for a while now, but My last day was June 23 and with some teacher workshops and houseguests after that it only just now seems like summer has started. That means I can throw my energy into writing, querying, and READING! Today’s batch of picture book reviews showcase birds, bats and a pegasus, all stretching their wings and exploring the world. Enjoy!
Title: Don’t feed the Coos!
Author: Jonathan Stutzman
Illustrator: Heather Fox
Publisher/Date: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (February 25, 2020)
The “gist”: If you’ve ever been around a group of pigeons (here called “coos”), you know that they are very greedy– and once you feed them, you won’t get left alone!
My favorite part: The eyes of the little pigeons are so expressive!
My response as a reader: I bet kids will ask to read this over and over — it reminds me of Mo Willem’s pigeon series. Besides, there’s poo.
My “take-away” as a writer: This is a great mentor text for pacing as well as an ending that doesn’t have to spell everything out.
Title: Bitsy Bat: School Star
Author/Illustrator: Kaz Windness
Publisher/Date: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (June 6, 2023)
The “gist”: It’s time for Bitsy Bat to start school, but she’s very nervous and her first day only shows her she’s very different from her classmates. Fortunately, that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.
My favorite part: I love that the author/illustrator, Kaz Windness, is autistic and shares that in a lovely author’s note which encourages kids to embrace their differences and fly!
My response as a reader: Teachers could definitely use this in their classes to help kids understand how each of them is unique! The autism backmatter is great!
My “take-away” as a writer: I’m loving the vibe from this author who has written several other picture books including one about a surly unicorn named “Stabby.” I never paid much attention to the author backstory when I was a kid, but as a writer it’s wonderful to see a connection between the author and the types of books they write.
Title: The Red Jacket
Author/Illustrator: Bob Holt
Publisher/Date: HarperCollins (July 4, 2023)
The “gist”: Bob doesn’t feel special, but someone gives him a really cool jacket and suddenly he IS special…until he loses it.
My favorite part: Who doesn’t want some bonus french fries in the pocket of their jacket, right?
My response as a reader: This is a winner! Once I started reading, I found myself predicting the ending, but I didn’t care– it’s really done well (and hey, 50 something teacher-writers are not the target audience). Such a super sweet message!
My “take-away” as a writer: This is a great example of a funny book that still has a deeper meaning. No one likes “preachy” books, but I usually have a nugget of emotion in my stories and it’s nice to see that done in a way that is still fun!
Title: Perfectly Pegasus
Author/Illustrator: Jessie Sima
Publisher/Date: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; First Edition (March 29, 2022)
The “gist”: Pegasus wishes on a star for friends and as you can imagine, gets her wish.
My favorite part: The color scheme in these illustrations is charmingly peaceful making the whole book feel like a hug.
My response as a reader: This book reminds me a lot of Amy MacDonald’s “Little Beaver and the Echo” (Walker Press, 1993), which is one of my favorite picture books. In both stories, the main character is so innocent and lovable that the reader not only identifies with their journey to look for friends, but wants to jump right in and be a friend for them.
My “take-away” as a writer: I’ve got a manuscript about a pegasus who’s afraid to fly, so this one is going in my new list of “comp titles” for agents– I always preferred pegasi to unicorns as a kid and it’s great to see people writing about them!
Title: Mel Fell
Author/Illustrator: Corey R. Tabor
Publisher/Date: Balzer + Bray (February 2, 2021)
The “gist”: Mel is a fledgling Kingfisher, and falls out of the nest. As friends and family try to help or cheer her on, she splashes into the water.
My favorite part: I loved that the slug climbing down the tree wanted to help despite going super slowly.
My response as a reader: Ok, so maybe my favorite part is that my name is Melanie, so it’s unusual for me to find a character with my name. But I also love that you hold this book “sideways” to read it, which is fun!
My “take-away” as a writer: I adore books that have multiple voice bubbles that can be read in random order– it makes the book very interactive. Unfortunately, it’s a much harder technique to put in a manuscript when you’re not an author-illustrator!
Schreibenfreude 