Picture Book of the Day - What a Wonderful World, illustrated by Tim Hopgood

If this feels a little like something you've seen before on Sprout's Bookshelf, you're right! I think this might be a first, that I am reviewing a book whose text I've already written, about but with a different version by a different illustrator. 

It's no surprise that there are a couple of picture book versions of Louis Armstrong's iconic song "What a Wonderful World". The text is just about perfect to share with young children - an homage to beauty and a testament to hope. Sprout and I have read the version illustrated by Ashley Bryan for a couple of years now, checking it out from the library whenever we stumble across it. He loves the Ashley Bryan version because one of his favorite preschool teachers used to share it with the kiddos, so I wasn't entirely sure how he'd take to this update, illustrated by Tim Hopgood. 

But you know what? As it turns out, Tim Hopgood's What a Wonderful World is a totally different experience for Sprout than the beloved Ashley Bryan version. I credit the illustration styles, which are much different. Hopgood's take follows a small boy and a bluebird, as they venture throughout different landscapes and scenes. In the forest, they're celebrating the trees; they sing about the sky as the boy flies in a balloon; they swim in the ocean (well, the boy does) and frolic with horses. And every page spread is alive with color and motion and vibrancy, a really exuberant love song to the wonderful world in which we all live. 

I've always enjoyed the message of this song, and this fresh new take by Tim Hopgood just deepens my affection. Whether you want to inspire a classroom of kiddos or spend some time creating one-on-one, What a Wonderful World is a perfect pick to launch art projects, nature walks or other creative endeavors. Just be prepared to harmonize as you read - this title is so absolutely joyful, you almost can't help but sing!

What a Wonderful World, illustrated by Tim Hopgood, published by Henry Holt

All ages

Source: Library

Recommended 

30 Days of Diverse Picture Books - Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown

It's Day 3 of 30 Days of Diverse Picture Books. We're having a great time rereading some old favorites and checking out new books in order to select the titles for our 30 Days. Terrific stuff is coming your way!

Today's pick is a new title by debut picture book author Katheryn Russell-Brown -- Little Melba and Her Big Trombone. Russell-Brown joins the ranks of a number of authors who have turned the lives of Black Americans into engaging picture book material. In this case, Russell-Brown tells the story of Melba Liston, the first woman to achieve prominence in the jazz scene for her trombone playing.

And what playing it was! The book takes us back to Melba's youth, growing up in Kansas City "where you could reach out and feel the music". Melba longed to play an instrument, so her mother bought her a trombone. Melba set about teaching herself everything there was to know about that horn, achieving prominence as a composer and performer who worked with famous musicians of all sorts.

Melba Liston was a trailblazer, and it's wonderful to see her story brought so vividly to life (we especially love the jazz-infused style of illustrator Frank Morrison). Read this one with your kiddos and get ready to dance - 'cause Melba's story won't keep you in your seat for long!

Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown, published by Lee & Low

Chapter Book Review - Lone Bean by Chudney Ross

Ramona Quimby was one of my favorite fictional characters when I was a kiddo. Ramona was so relatable to me, with all the scrapes she was always getting herself into and the way she often acted first and thought about it later. Her adventures, and the entire dynamic of the Quimby family and friends, made a huge impact on me -- so much so, in fact, that when creating this blog I almost named it in honor of this wonderful series of books.

I'm thrilled that Ramona has endured and continues to capture the attention of a new generation. But I can't help but wonder what fictional characters of this era will fill the same niche, especially in a multicultural sense. So many of the books I loved are absent of any diversity at all - and so many wonderful books with diversity are "issues" books, about heavy thoughts but not always about the everyday reality of life as a middle grader. The Ramonas of this world should be not just Caucasian, but Latina, African American, Asian and biracial. We need characters of color not only for the girls and boys who look like them, but for the many who don't, and who need to see their own experiences lived by someone whose life is somewhat different.

For that reason, and many others, I was excited to get my hands on the debut children's novel from author Chudney Ross, Lone Bean. Among other activities, Ross is the owner of Books and Cookies, a combination children's bookstore and bakery in Santa Monica (this place is going on our must-visit list for sure!). And I suspect that her years as a bookseller and educator are what makes Lone Bean such a well-rounded portrait of a young girl's experiences. Bean is not only a relatable and realistic kiddo, she's also a lot of fun, very like Ramona and so many other classic characters.

The book opens as Bean Gibson begins third grade, which she's quite looking forward to. But almost right away, things go awry. First her best friend Carla has found someone new to hang out with over the summer. Then Bean tangles with the class bully, Terrible Tanisha. Then she has to be partners with Stanley, and everyone in the class thinks she likes him. And then her dad announces that Bean has to start music lessons, on the piano of all things! It seems nothing will ever go right in third grade.

Throughout the story, Bean navigates her way through social mishaps and conflicts with her parents and siblings, all the while finding her place in the new order of things. Bean's outlook on life is one that many kids will relate to; Ross gives us a heroine who is by no means perfect, but who makes mistakes and learns from them (eventually). Bean has a great support system in place, and it's nice to see a story where the main character tests her limits but never doubts her family's love for her. Eventually all the drama sorts itself out -- not exactly how Bean would have liked it to, but in a way that's great nonetheless. Kind of like real life, I'd say.

Next time you're thinking about handing your kiddo a classic like Ramona Quimby, Age 8, reach a little further and consider a book like Lone Bean instead. With characters who are familiar and yet unique, this is a novel worth reading, and I for one am hoping for a sequel -- looking forward to more from this spirited girl and her creator!

Lone Bean by Chudney Ross, published by Amistad Books
Ages 9-12
Source: Library
Sample: "I'm the youngest of three girls and we're all named after flowers. Mom said she wanted her own bouquet, but I think she got a thorn bush with my sisters because they are m-e-a-n MEAN! I have a flower name too, of course, but it is long and hard to spell and terrible. I'll never tell anyone what it is. Mom and Dad sometimes call me by my real name when I'm in big trouble, but otherwise I'm just called Bean."
Recommended

Picture Book Review - Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! by Wynton Marsalis

January can be a rough month when you have a little one. The holidays are over, and with them the excitement of all the activities that lead up to the big celebrations. The weather's not always great (at least not here in the northern climes) so trips to the park are few and far between, or maybe nonexistent. All those new toys are starting to lose their luster and soon moms and dads hear the dreaded "what can I do??"

This is when a trip to the library is in order, not only to load up on fun books to help while away the winter doldrums, but also to look for picture books you can pair with indoor activities. This could be a craft you make, an opportunity for dress-up or other imaginative play, or cooking up some delicious treats. (If you want inspiration for doing this kind of thing, I highly recommend the excellent blog Playing by the Book. This blogger and her kiddos do all kinds of crazy wonderful things inspired by the books they read - oh how I wish we could have playdates at their house!)

And that's where today's book comes in - I can see crafty moms and dads having a wonderful time conjuring up activities to go along with the new picture book by Wynton Marsalis, Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp!. Like one of our favorite library finds of this past year, Drum City by Thea Guidone, this rhythmic delight is sure to get you up out of the reading chair and marching around to the beat. Really, I dare you not to!

The premise is pretty simple, which is a good fit for the heavily onomatopoeic text: a young boy explores his world, noting the sounds that occur from the everyday objects around him. There's the rumbling garbage truck, the squeaky back door, the clicky ticking of the alarm clock by the bed. And each group of sounds is compared to a particular musical instrument - so that alarm clock's ticking is like the plucking of a violin, for instance. Soon you can't help but be swept away by the jazzy rhythm that our young hero finds pretty much everywhere.

Visually this is a riot as well. Paul Rogers' bold illustration style causes the objects Marsalis mentions to take on a life all their own. You can practically hear the music of the jazzy washboard player, and the marching tuba players take over the whole spread. The pictures are colorful and fun, adding to the whole sense of wonder and exploration - and fun!

Don't read this one if you don't like doing sound effects -- Sprout's daddy is much better with this book than Mommy is, because he can make all kinds of kooky sounds -- and be ready to do some music of your own once you're done. There's loads of opportunity to get up and pound out a beat, whether it's by making a drum out of art supplies or learning to play the spoons. The possibilities in this jazz-infused title are endless, just like the music you'll suddenly be hearing everywhere you go!

Squeak, Rumble, Whomp! Whomp! Whomp! by Wynton Marsalis, published by Candlewick Press
All ages
Source: Library
Sample: "Our back door squeeeaks. A nosy mouse eeek-eeek-eeeks! / It's also how my sister's saxophone sometimes speee. . . . eeaks."
Recommended

Library Find - Drum City by Thea Guidone

My youngest nephew plays the drums in his middle school band. Sprout already thinks his cousins are the height of coolness, but the drum thing? That totally seals the deal. Ever since he found out that Cory is a drummer Sprout has gone crazy whenever he sees anything having to do with drums. I think we've read Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb about a thousand times and every single time he sees the first drumming monkey page he yells, "My Cory plays the drums too!!" at the top of his lungs. Seriously.

So you can just imagine the scene that ensued when he saw the book Drum City on the library shelf a few weeks back. "Hey drums!" he screeched, pushing past me to grab the book (thank goodness the librarians in our children's room aren't of the shushing variety). Of course Sprout insisted we read it RIGHT NOW. And again. And again. It was pretty clear right then and there that we had a real favorite on our hands.

I was completely unfamiliar with author Thea Guidone, though I knew Vanessa Newton for her fantastic illustrations for Cedella Marley's One Love. I love Newton's depictions of kids - she gets them spot-on, all gappy teeth and knobby knees and joyful exuberance. And Drum City also gives Newton the opportunity to illustrate some adults, as the crowd of bystanders that witnesses the drum parade. Newton goes all out here - each one of the kids and adults that populate her pages is completely original. There's so much to look at, from the trenchcoated businessman to the fashionable lady to the dredlocked market proprieter. The diversity is organic and natural, adding to the fun vibe that Guidone's text evokes.

And what text it is. You will love, love, love reading this book aloud, and it's a perfect choice for storytime in the library or classroom too. Bouncy and vibrant, Guidone's tale of a procession of kiddos drumming their way through the city is one that's guaranteed to get you out of your chair and moving. The rhymes and rhythms are absolutely infectious, as fun to read as they are to listen to. We like the way the kids utilize whatever is at hand for impromptu music-making: soup pots, washboards, buckets and brooms, sticks and garbage can lids. Since he's been cooking a lot with me lately, Sprout likes to point out the utensils he knows: wooden spoon, whisk, rolling pin.

One of the best things about using the library as much as we do is stumbling into titles we've never heard of - in this case, a real winner. Drum City is a delightful book, as wonderful to look at as it is to read, and a great showcase of author and illustrator skills. I can't wait to see more from this talented pair!

Drum City by Thea Guidone, published by Tricycle Press
Ages 2-5
Source: Library
Sample: "Something is coming. They watch and they wonder, / assuming the booming is summertime thunder. / Thumping and pounding, the echo resounding / the sound of the pound of the drums."
Highly recommended

Bonus: Interview with the engaging Vanessa Newton from The Brown Bookshelf

Library Find - Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler

I love my kid. I really do. But at the moment he's in a stage that frustrates the life out of me. If you have toddlers or have spent much (any) time around them, you'll recognize it -- it's the "no way will I tolerate anything new" phase. Basically this means that his daily selections (food, clothes, books, DVDs) are from a very limited list of personally-approved items. Any deviation from said list is bound to meet up with a pronounced "no, I don't want to" or "no, I don't like it". Or, you know, just "no".

Well, okay, I can play along with this to a limited extent. But since my husband and I happen to believe that trying new things is good, we can't entirely let our dear son dictate everything. So that means that alongside his beloved dinner of noodles and cheese, Sprout is apt to find a taste of asparagus. Paired up with his favorite Cars pajama bottoms, he's likely to have a different t-shirt choice. And in with his tried-and-true library selections, there is bound to be something he thinks he just won't like.

Such was the case for Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. I picked this one up at the library because I was drawn to the energetic cover art, which features a multiracial cast. (The fact that it was sporting a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor seal didn't hurt either.) A quick read through suggested that it might be a bedtime favorite - lots of fun upbeat rhymes, characters swinging and swaying to a jazzy beat, and skin in all shades of pinks and browns. What's not to love, I thought?

Unfortunately Sprout was a harder sell. He pitched a fit the first time I pulled it out, but I persisted. And lo and behold, it has become one of the most-requested titles in the bedtime rotation. Well, how could it not be - seriously, this is a fun one to read together! The premise is simple: a lively family celebration of music, with singing and dancing and beboppin' galore. Wheeler's words put the song in motion, and Christie's vibrant characters look ready to dance right off the page. In each spread, our jazzy baby is dancing with someone new, as the whole family, plus neighbors and friends, get into the act. And the singing and dancing is infectious -- if you can read this one through without wanting to get up and dance yourself, I'd be surprised!

Sprout loves the recurring refrain sung by the main character: "Go, man, go!" My husband taught him to say it in a really jazzy way, which makes him laugh like nobody's business. All in all, this is a fun and funny title that's great for bedtime reading but would make an excellent addition to any storytime program as well. Pair with This Jazz Man for another title that will get kids up and on their feet!

Jazz Baby by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, published by Harcourt
Ages 2-7
Source: Library
Sample: "Auntie toe-taps. / Uncle soft-shoes. / Fancy-dancin' Baby sings 'Doo-Wop-Doo!'"
Recommended