BARNETT, Mac. Chloe and the Lion. illus. by Adam Rex. Disney/Hyperion. 2012. ISBN 9781423113348. JLG Level: HE : Humor Elementary (Grades 2-6).

Mac, the author, and Adam, the illustrator, argue over which character is better for scaring poor little Chloe―a lion or a dragon. A war over the story line ensues. Which is more important―the art or the text? When Mac fires Adam for not following directions, “my-friend-Hank” is hired. The former artist is quickly eaten by Hank’s lion. Little Chloe saves the day by setting them all straight, telling the author, “You’re the writer. Adam is the illustrator. We all add something to the story.”

Barnett’s humorous tongue-in-cheek tale is charmingly illustrated with clay figures of the picture book’s creators, and cartoon-type characters for the remaining players. Using a stage as the story’s backdrop, and balloons for its text, sets the artwork apart from similar books this year. It’s a tale of friendship and teamwork in an unusual mixed-format effort that is a pleasure to read.

BARNETT, Mac. Extra Yarn. illus. by Jon Klassen. HarperCollins/Balzer & Bray. 2012. ISBN 9780061953385. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K).

“In a cold little town, where everywhere you looked was either the white of snow or the black soot from chimneys, Annabelle found a box filled with yarn of every color.” So begins the tale of one little girl who made a difference. She knit a sweater for herself; she still had yarn left. She knit a sweater for her dog, and still had some left. Annabelle knit sweaters for everyone and everything she met, except for Mr. Crabtree. She made him a hat. “Things began to change in that little town.” When the archduke tried to buy the never-ending yarn from the little girl, she refused to sell. So he stole it.

Klassen’s artwork brings Annabelle’s black and white world to life. With pops of color punctuating the simple digital-and-ink shapes, the meaning of the magical yarn materializes. Use of darkness when the archduke steals the box shows the meanness of the act without being too scary for its intended audience. Though the story is moralistic, the charm of the illustrations and the happy ending produce a picture book that is sure to be a classic, regardless of whether it wins the gold.

BUZZEO, Toni. One Cool Friend. illus. by David Small. Dial. 2012. ISBN 9780803734135. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K-1).

“Elliot was a very proper young man,” so it’s no surprise that he liked penguins. “In their tidy black feather tuxedos with their proper posture, they reminded Elliot of himself.” During a visit to the zoo, he slips a live penguin into his backpack. (He asked permission, of course.) Unbeknownst to his preoccupied father, Elliot’s new pet skates on a pond in his room, eats anchovy pizza, and swims in the family bathtub.

From turtle-patterned pajamas and footstools, to boxes of caramel candy and diagrams in the father’s office, the illustrations complement the text while hinting at the surprising outcome. Small adds a smattering of color to his simply sketched ink drawings, which along with the use of bubble captions lighten the serious tone of the dialogue between father and child. s. A perfect blend of the visual and text make it an excellent choice for story time. Readers will laugh at the tuxedoed duo’s adventures and shout “read it again” at its conclusion.

COLE, Henry. Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad. Scholastic. 2012. ISBN 9780545399975. JLG Level: P : Primary (Grades K-1).

While doing her chores, a young girl discovers someone hiding in the family’s barn. Without saying a word, each person takes food to the uninvited guest. After a slave-hunting party arrives, the visitor disappears, leaving behind a cornhusk doll dressed in the napkin material as a sign of thanks.

Cole uses charcoal and pen line drawings to illustrate this wordless picture book. In a style reminiscent of Brian Selznick, character close-ups reveal the tension in the story. Readers will feel the family’s fear when the hunting party arrives. They will worry when the runaway peeks through a knot hole. Seeing the Big Dipper through the bedroom window will fill them with hope that the slave will find a safe place to rest. An author’s note shares family stories and background history about the details included in the illustrations.

FOGLIANO, Julie. And Then It’s Spring. illus. by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. 2012. ISBN 9781596436244. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K).

A dedicated young boy and the animals that live around him diligently wait for seeds to sprout. In well-planned phases, readers feel the slow-moving track of time as the season of brown lingers on. He plants his seeds. He waters them. A silent chorus of anxious planters stares at the dark earth waiting for green to break through. A rainy day brings a sunny one, and with it, green. “All around you have green.”

Stead’s woodblock printing techniques brilliantly tone down the anxious wait for spring. Kids will linger over the details. A turtle uses a magnifying glass to better see the emergence of a sprout. Rabbit watches for the carrot seeds to push through the soil. Even the dog waits for his buried bones to grow. Spring bursts into view on the last double page spread, just like the seeds that were sown. Another winner for Stead and a first-winning book for Fogliano.

STEAD, Philip C.. Bear Has a Story to Tell. illus. by Erin E. Stead. Roaring Brook/Neal Porter. 2012. ISBN  9781596437456. JLG Level: K : Kindergarten (Grades PreK-K).

Winter is swiftly approaching, and bear is getting sleepy, but first he has a story he wants to tell. Mouse doesn’t have time for a story; he has seeds to gather. So Bear helps his friend instead. Duck has to get ready to fly south, so Bear checks the wind’s direction. Frog needs to find a warm place to sleep for the winter, so Bear digs a frog-sized hole. The first snowflake falls, but Bear still hasn’t told his tale. When spring arrives and his friends return, Bear is delighted to remember that now he has time to tell his story. Sadly, he can no longer recall what he wanted to say. In cyclical fashion, his friends prompt him, and the story ends as it began.

Gold medal team of Stead and Stead pair up again in this star-studded effort (2 stars and a Kirkus Editors’ Choice Award). The camaraderie of the characters is skillfully painted in their faces and mannerisms. The gentleness of the big bear is believable in his efforts to help his friends, while putting his needs last. The lesson of the story (shall we say, Golden Rule?) is gently woven between the text and illustrations, allowing the reader to absorb the message with little effort.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

This week, authors Rita Williams-Garcia, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, and Mac Barnett share their stories of the season with SLJ. Last week, we heard from Julie Andrews and her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, along with author Liz Levy.

Rita Williams-Garcia

Rita Williams-Garcia and family

It was winter 1990, and my husband was preparing to go off to Saudi Arabia for Desert Storm [as a platoon sergeant for an engineering brigade, responsible for 52 soldiers who did battle damage assessments]. I asked my mother what she had sent my father when he was in Vietnam. She said, “Candy, cookies and nothing but good news.”

Our daughters, Michelle, 6, and Stephanie, 2, signed a card for their dad while I put together a tin box of cookies and candies, along with a photo of the family with a promise that we’d all be together SOON?. The night before we went to Floyd Bennett Field for his deployment, I stuffed the tin in Peter’s duffle bag along with a note: “Do not open until Christmas.”

We said our goodbyes and waved while trucks loaded with soldiers drove off. Then I bought a houseful of toys for my children, including a jungle gym with a slide which sat in our living room.

On Christmas morning I videotaped Michelle reading the Nativity story and mailed that to Peter along with a video of a New York Giants football game. Of everything, he remembers the tin box with cookies and candy on Christmas.

Jarrett J. Krosoczka

“I just don’t like Christmastime,” my grandmother Shirley would say as she leaned back in her chair at the kitchen table, taking a drag from her cigarette and a sip from her coffee. “I just think about all the people who don’t have nothin’, ya know. The parents who can’t buy presents for their kids. The people who you see on the news whose houses burn down on Christmas night. Then I think about all the women who get beaten by their husbands.” She would shake her head, but not before taking another puff of her unfiltered Camel, allowing the smoke to cover any hint of the pine needles in the adjacent living room.

Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Holly jolly.

Our halls weren’t exactly decked with the cheery sentiments of Christmas carols. We had a tinsel-draped tree filled with ornaments left over from the 1950s and ’60s. A few holiday items were placed atop side tables—an animatronic Santa and a porcelain Christmas tree that played “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”

“Time to take down the toys,” my grandfather Joe would mutter as he retrieved the few boxes of Christmas decorations kept in the garage. Joe’s job was to get the ornaments and set up the tree. The rest was up to my grandmother and me. Later, it was just my responsibility to trim the tree. As I hit adolescence, neither Joe nor Shirley saw any point in decorating when we’d only be taking everything down in a few weeks. Despite their aversion to covering the house in holiday décor, I would eagerly hand-draw Santas, candy canes, wreaths, and even mistletoe and place them throughout the front hallway.

Their dreary dispositions aside, they made sure I woke up every Christmas morning to an embarrassment of riches. A Smurf Big Wheel, collections of Transformers, ThunderCats, and G.I. Joes, a Nintendo, and, of course, always art supplies. There was nothing that made them happier than to see me happy. It’s what they dedicated their twilight years to. Aside from the many presents they lavished upon me, they gave me the greatest gift of all—a stable home, with two parental figures who loved me unconditionally.

It was just before Christmas of 1980 when I came to live with my grandparents full time. I had just turned three years old, and Joe and Shirley had already been taking care of me for the majority of my life. It had become clear that their daughter was never going to be stable enough to care for me, and the decision was made that I would live with them permanently.

I remember seeing the light of the Christmas tree through my tears as Shirley sat me down to explain that I would be living with them now and that I wouldn’t see my mother for some time. I remember her asking me what I liked to eat, so she could make sure I had my favorite meals. I told her that I liked meatball sandwiches. To distract me, she told me to pick out one present from under the tree and open it. Without missing a beat, I hopped off her lap and chose a box. I unwrapped it furiously. A tan Tonka pickup truck. I loved that truck and played with it endlessly.

Now I have a family of my own. And I, like my grandfather, grumble about getting the “toys” out of storage. But this is because my wife, Gina, has twenty-four red-and-green plastic bins filled to the brim with holiday cheer. It would have given Joe a heart attack. My two daughters will smile ear-to-ear on Christmas morning with the magic and wonder of the season. I will set out a porcelain Christmas tree that will chime out a tune and warn us all that we “better watch out.” And I will think of my grandparents, who gave me so very much at Christmastime.

Mac Barnett

When I was four I wanted a cuckoo clock for Christmas.

We lived in a small town and my mom didn’t have much money. My mother didn’t know where to buy a cuckoo clock, and if she did find one, she was pretty sure she wouldn’t be able to afford it.

“Are you sure you wouldn’t rather have a bicycle?” she would ask.

Mac Barnett

“How about Skeletor’s Castle? That would be a good gift,” she said.

“Or what about a nice regular clock, with a neat design on it?”

“No. I want a cuckoo clock.”

I didn’t know why she was so concerned. The cuckoo clock was Santa’s problem, not hers.

A week before Christmas, we went to see Santa at the mall. Standing in line, my mom asked, “Have you thought about what you’re going to ask him to get you for Christmas?”

What was wrong with this woman? I wanted a cuckoo clock.

Finally it was my turn. I climbed on Santa’s lap and gave him a drawing I’d made for him. It said, “I LOVE YOU SANTA.” (Always a good idea to flatter someone before you ask him for a hard-to-find gift.) We went through the usual small talk and then Santa asked, “Well, little boy, what do you want for Christmas?”

“Santa,” I said, “The thing I want most in the whole world is a cuckoo clock.”

Behind my back, my mom stood right in Santa’s eyeline, grimacing and slicing at her neck with her hand. Santa met her gaze, nodded, and looked down at me.

“Well…” said Santa. “That should be no problem. My elves are very good at making cuckoo clocks.”

I was overcome with joy as a man in reindeer antlers hustled me off Santa’s lap.

My mom was in a foul mood the rest of the day.

Of course, at the time I didn’t know the whole story. And I still don’t know why Santa did my mom dirty. All I know is that on Christmas day, I got a cuckoo clock.

Earlier ‘Holiday Memories’: 2006 ,2007,  2007, 2008, 2008, 2009, 2010,  2011.

BARNETT, Mac. Brixton Brothers: Danger Goes Berserk. illus. by Matthew Myers. S & S. 2012. ISBN 9781442439771. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Twelve-year-old detective Steve Brixton has a new case. The problem is that he will have to learn how to surf in order to go undercover to solve it. He and partner Dana suit up to solve the mystery of a stolen surfboard. In the midst of one case, two more evolve, leading readers to wonder how or if they are connected. From laugh-out-loud moments to nail-biting adventures, old and new fans will root for the middle schoolers as they encounter chaotic dangers.

FARREY, Brian. The Vengekeep Prophecies. illus. by Brett Helquist. HarperCollins/Harper. 2012. ISBN 9780062049285. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Born into a family of thieves, Jaxter’s time has come to join in. Yet in the midst of his first heist, his clumsiness causes building to get on fire and lands his clan in the gaol. A prophecy found on the town’s tapestry names his kin as the saviors of Vengekeep. Jaxter and Callie leave town to find a way to stop the prophecies from coming true, otherwise they’re in for lots more trouble.

This standalone fantasy novel is filled with mystery and adventure. Fantastical creatures, non-magic spells, and period-type exclamations (zoc, bangers!) blend easily into a world where magic is believable. Readers will hope that Farrey has further adventures to offer us and that the Grimjinxes will return.

SCHLITZ, Laura Amy. Splendors and Glooms. Candlewick. 2012. ISBN 9780763653804. JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

Highly discussed as a Newbery contender, Schlitz offers a mystery filled with magic, adventure, and suspense. Clara is the only child in her family and is treated with kid gloves. Loving the thrill of a puppet show, she invites danger into her life when it is brought to her party. Lizzie Rose and Parsefall work for the master puppeteer, Grisini, and have a very difficult life. When Clara disappears and Grisini does as well, it’s up to the remaining two children to solve the mystery. What they find out puts them in greater danger than they’ve ever been in before.

Set in Victorian London, Schlitz creates a  Dickens-like world where magic is entirely possible. From witch and magician to drunken landlady, the characters are so well-developed, you’d recognize them in a crowded room. It’s a tale that lingers long after the pages close.

SNICKET, Lemony. Who Could That Be at This Hour? Little, Brown. 2012. ISBN 9780316123082. JLG Level: ME : Mystery/Adventure Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Chalk up another winner for Lemony Snicket. A boy is mysteriously whisked away after climbing out of a bathroom window while his adult companions sleep off a potion that was in their tea. Off to solve a mystery with a less-than-competent sponsor, Lemony seems to know more about getting the answers, even if he does ask the wrong questions. The first in a series of four, readers who clamor for more Snicket will be thrilled to begin the journey with him once again.

STEPHENS, John. The Fire Chronicle. Knopf. 2012. ISBN 9780375968716. JLG Level: B+ : Upper Elementary & Junior High (Grades 5-7)

After the children are discovered by their enemies, Kate is separated from her brother and sister. Michael and Emma are left on their own in Antarctica to find the legendary book of fire. Kate fights fires of her own in 1899 New York. Rafe seems to know her, but the adults are doing everything they can to separate the two. As the dangers for all three siblings grow stronger, their intertwining fates bring the three closer together. How long will they stay together?

The second of The Books of Beginning series will keep readers in suspense with alternating chapters between the separated siblings. New monsters, dangers, and magic wait around every corner. Stephens brings back characters and introduces new ones. Readers will have to wait for all their answers to their gripping questions, as The Fire Chronicle ends in a tremendous cliff-hanger.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

BARNETT, MAC. Chloe and the Lion. illus. by Adam Rex. Disney/Hyperion. 2012. ISBN 9781423113348. JLG Level: HE: Humor Elementary (Grades 2-6)

What begins as a tale about a little girl who meets a lion, ends in a power struggle for artistic control. Author and illustrator meet in a pen-to-brush battle each trying to prove who has the most important role in telling a story. When Chloe gets lost in the forest, the author wants her to meet a lion. The illustrator thinks that a dragon would be cooler. With interrupting Claymation panels and bubble speech, the hilarious debate continues until Chloe sees her chance to save the day.

BLACK, Michael Ian. I’m Bored. illus. by Debbie Ridpath Ohi. S & S. 2012. ISBN 9781442414037. JLG Level: P: Primary (Grades K-1)

Kids have great imaginations. Sometimes, though, they get bored. In a moment of frustration, this story’s protagonist has no intention of allowing a potato, of all things, to get away with thinking that kids are not fun. After all, they can turn cartwheels. They can play games. “Kids can do ANYTHING!!!” Ohi’s simple drawings and creative placement of text create a story with visual impact that’s anything but boring.

KLASSEN, Jon. This Is Not My Hat. Candlewick. 2012. ISBN 9780763655990. JLG Level P: Primary (Grades K-1)

In the long-awaited sequel-of-sorts to I Want My Hat Back (Candlewick, 2011), two things remain the same. There is a hat. It is taken. In a different setting under different circumstances, a hat is missing. The story begins: “This hat is not mine. I just stole it.” He stole it from a big fish. He has lots of excuses: “It was too small for him anyway. It fits me just right.” He expects to get away with it―probably. With plenty of room for suspense, Klassen delivers another solid humorous story for your storytimes. And you don’t have to read the previous title to enjoy this one.

LEVINE, Gail Carson. Forgive Me, I Meant to Do It: False Apology Poems. illus. by Matthew Cordell. HarperCollins. 2012. ISBN 9780061787263. JLG Level: HE: Humor Elementary (Grades 2-6)

Anyone who has ever taken a poetry class knows William Carlos Williams’ poem, “This is Just to Say.” It’s the classic insincere apology. Levine takes characters from fairy tales and childhood rhymes and uses their voices to falsely apologize. “You fell and cracked your skull on the hill/ where I had carefully placed a banana peel/ Forgive me/Jill is now my girlfriend.” She breaks tradition and slips in the introduction about six poems into the book. As if she can read our minds, there is even a poem about the consequences of skipping around to read the poems. Brilliant and marvelously funny!

VIORST, Judith. Lulu Walks the Dogs. illus. by Lane Smith. S & S/Atheneum. 2012. ISBN 9781442435797. JLG Level: I+: Independent Readers (Grades 2-4)

In this sequel to Lulu and the Brontosaurus (S & S, 2010), Lulu wants something that she will have to “EARN THE MONEY TO GET.” She decides she will walk dogs. Complicating the plot (other than she knows little about her new job) is Fleischman, an overly helpful neighbor boy who seems to know everything about dog walking. Complimenting Viorst’s text are wonderful illustrations by Lane Smith. How could you not laugh? It’s a partnership bound for success.

For ideas about how to use these books and links to supportive sites, check out the Junior Library Guild blog, Shelf Life.

Junior Library Guild is a collection development service that helps school and public libraries acquire the best new children’s and young adult books. Season after season, year after year, Junior Library Guild book selections go on to win awards, collect starred or favorable reviews, and earn industry honors. Visit us at www.JuniorLibraryGuild.com.

(l. to r.) Amy Krouse Rosenthal, Jon Klassen, Tom Lichtenheld, D.B. Johnson, & Mac Barnett

The picture book isn’t dead—in fact, it might be entering a golden age, say some of the most talented and innovative children’s book creators during SLJ’s Day of Dialog.

Moderated by New York Public Library Youth Materials Collections Specialist, Betsy Bird, the panelists on “Pushing the Picture Book Envelope” gave the audience a visual delight that included a presentation of each book trailer, along with rousing commentary from each creator.

Bird, also an SLJ blogger, dubbed Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld, collaborators on Wumbers (Chronicle), the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers of children’s literature for their ability to bring “the sound of numbers” in their latest book by using word and number gymnastics. Lichtenheld cites William Steig’s CDB! (S & S, 1968), a collection of pictures with captions written in code, and MAD Magazine, as visual influences, while Rosenthal mentions her love for “tinkering with language” and wordplay as the inspiration behind their work. She says this title appeals to children who aren’t necessarily born readers but who need to be led to the “reading party” through nontraditional themes.

Mac Barnett, author of Chloe and the Lion (Hyperion), crosses into the meta-fiction category, breaks down the fourth wall, and gives him and illustrator Adam Rex active roles as protagonists in their rambunctious picture book. Influenced by Jon Stone’s classic, The Monster at the End of This Book (Random, 1971), which also speaks directly to its audience, Barnett says he’s always enjoyed fiction that escaped the artifice of the “book” and strains the tension between text and image. Evident in the book trailer, this author/illustrator pair’s tongue-and-cheek humor elicited peals of laughter from the audience.

Jon Klassen, an Irma Black Award Finalist, opened with a trailer to This is Not My Hat (Candlewick), the sequel to his award-winning I Want My Hat Back. He says kids are just looking for a good story. Like one of his favorites, P. D. Eastman’s Sam and the Firefly (Random, 1958), picture books have to grab readers’ attention right from the start.

D. B. Johnson, author/illustrator of Magritte’s Marvelous Hat (Houghton Harcourt) and a longtime illustrator of picture books, made a splash with his surreal Magritte’s Marvelous Hat. He believes authors and illustrators of children’s books have to “embrace the nonsense,” let imagination and creativity manifest in new and groundbreaking ways, and not be so tied down by the latest trends. As long as visual language continues to be kids’ native language, then the picture book will continue to be successful, he says.”There’s a purity in it” that can’t be achieved through other mediums.

Maurice Sendak’s recent death was on the panelists’ minds, with Johnson calling him a god. Klassen admired Sendak’s ability to look right at a reader and “tell it to you straight.” Barnett agreed that Sendak was among the first picture book trailblazers, stating that the form is still an arena suitable for innovation and challenge, and contrary to popular belief, we just might be entering into a new golden age of the picture book.