Super Star Children's Book Reviews: Sing with Me / Canta conmigo

Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature with a focus on diverse books here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Joan Charles, Laurie Young, Sarah Orgill—and I are so excited to be championing books celebrating everything from gender diversity, people of color, the LGBTQ community to ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, people with disabilities and developmental challenges to controversial topics, unique family situations and anything and everything I did not include. It is to say we take a rightfully broad view of diversity! We aim to shine a light on books that bring both familiar experiences to those who do not often see themselves represented in books and new experiences to those looking to expand their worldview. Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe in the power of story to build empathy and thus a better world for you and me and everyone. Look for a new review on the second Wednesday of every month.



SING WITH ME / CANTA CONMIGO: SIX CLASSIC SONGS IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH
By José-Luis Orozco • Illustrated by Sara Palacios
Picture Book (ages 4-8 years) • 32 pages
Published by Scholastic Press • 2020
ISBN 978-1-338-12118-6


Sing With Me / Canta Conmigo, is a delightful collection of classic children’s songs in both Spanish and English. The six featured songs, including such favorites as “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” “Old MacDonald,” and “Wheels on the Bus,” are introduced through a light-handed narrative as the main characters move throughout their day. Children will delight in the side-by-side translations, seeing “Old MacDonald” translated to “Juancho Pancho” and “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” to “Estrellita”. Parents and children alike will enjoy singing, dancing and playing along on this musical adventure.

Illustrator Sara Palacios’s artwork is bright and vibrant. Each page is filled with the rich diversity that makes up America today. The pictures reveal the imagery in the songs with a contemporary feel.

Orozco wisely points out in the Author’s Note that “recent studies on the brain have discovered the benefits of using two or more languages and the importance of music in the intellectual development of children.” Sing With Me / Canta Conmigo is a book in service to this dual goal of bilingual and musical education. It will be a welcome addition to any school or home library!


Buy this book:

Barnes & Noble

Independent Bookstores

Reviewed by: Sarah Orgill

Late Valentines & Interview Break

It's been a busy month over here at Bird Meets Worm, and therefore, we're taking a little break from our interview feature for the month of March. But don't worry! We have some FABULOUS artists lined up for April and May this spring—you won't want to miss it! In the meantime, here's a little late valentine from Kangaroo and her joey! XO

Happy Valentine's Day from Kangaroo & her joey! • © Jane Smith

Super Star Children's Book Reviews: Spy On History

Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature with a focus on diverse books here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Joan Charles, Laurie Young, Sarah Orgill—and I are so excited to be championing books celebrating everything from gender diversity, people of color, the LGBTQ community to ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, people with disabilities and developmental challenges to controversial topics, unique family situations and anything and everything I did not include. It is to say we take a rightfully broad view of diversity! We aim to shine a light on books that bring both familiar experiences to those who do not often see themselves represented in books and new experiences to those looking to expand their worldview. Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe in the power of story to build empathy and thus a better world for you and me and everyone. Look for a new review on the second Wednesday of every month.

A SPY ON HISTORY BOOK SERIES:

Mary Bowser and the Civil War Spy Ring
Written by Enigma Alberti • Illustrated by Tony Cliff

ISBN 978-1-523-50771-9

Anna Strong and the Revolutionary War Culper Spy Ring
Written by Enigma Alberti • Illustrated by Laura Terry

ISBN 978-1-523-50216-5

Victor Dowd and the World War II Ghost Army
Written by Enigma Alberti • Illustrated by Scott Wegener

ISBN 978-1-523-50770-2
Middle Grade (ages 8-14) • 96 pages
Workman Publishing Company • 2017-2019


A former slave rewrites documents from memory to pass to the North, while working undercover as a maid for the Confederate President in Virginia.

A wife and mother sends signals to the Patriots, enabling them to get messages safely to General Washington, right under the noses of the British redcoats.

An artist helps create elaborate and convincing illusions to fool the German army into thinking the Allied forces are larger and closer than they actually are.

If you’ve ever wondered whether one person can truly make a difference, these riveting, true-life stories will keep you turning the pages to find out how each brave hero risked their life to spy for the winning side in the Civil War, Revolutionary War and World War II.

Mary Bowser was taught to read and write by the owner who freed her. When she is asked to spy on President Davis while working as a maid in his home, she agrees in order to help the North win and put an end to slavery. Using her photographic memory, her quick thinking, and her ability to sew, Mary helped change the course of the Civil War, assuring the North’s victory.

Anna Strong hated the presence of British soldiers occupying her small Long Island town. When her husband is taken prisoner under false charges, she welcomes the opportunity to spy for the Patriots by signaling them when a message is ready to be smuggled to George Washington’s army. Anna’s cleverness helped turn the tide and gave Washington the advantage he needed to push back the British and win the Revolutionary War.

Victor Dowd was recruited to be part of an elite crew of artists, sound effect engineers and actors to form the “Ghost Army,” a top-secret project designed to create a highly detailed illusion that fooled the German army. Through careful artistic renderings of each actual unit’s specific characteristics, they utilized graphics, sound effects, wire signals, and inflatable tanks and artillery in order to spy on the Germans and trick them into believing that the Allied forces were a more immediate threat than they actually were. Victor’s artwork helped give cover to the Allies so they could advance and win World War II.

Additionally, these interactive stories come with clues and tools to help amateur sleuths solve the mystery of how they did it. Included in each book is a cipher wheel to decode encrypted messages, red acetate to reveal hidden clues in the text, a map to follow the action and a vellum sheet with cutouts exposing just the right words to complete a secret message. There’s also an answer key to check your work, a historical note from the author and a bibliography to encourage further reading.

This series is not just for kids interested in history, but anyone who loves a good mystery and wants to try their hand at being a spy!


Buy this book: 

Barnes & Noble:Mary Bowser and the Civil War Spy Ring 
Anna Strong and the Revolutionary War Culper Spy Ring

Victor Dowd and the World War II Ghost Army

Independent Bookstores Mary Bowser and the Civil War Spy Ring 
Anna Strong and the Revolutionary War Culper Spy Ring 
Victor Dowd and the World War II Ghost Army 


Reviewed by: Laurie L Young

Love You, Sasquatch!

Sasquatch is getting ready for Valentine's Day! Are you?! • © Jane Smith

Super Star Interviews: Kailey Whitman

Welcome to my monthly interview feature! I’m so excited to be interviewing all the fabulous artists, illustrators and designers I’ve meet over the years (both personally and virtually!) and sharing their artwork and experiences here on Bird Meets Worm. Look for a new interview on the first Tuesday of every month.

This month I’m pleased as pink lemonade punch to be chatting it up with the lovely Illustrator Kailey Whitman! Kailey is a fellow fabulous Tugeau2 artist (I love her artwork!!), and I recently had the pleasure of meeting her in person when our agency took a group trip to NYC to visit publishers!! Squee! Kailey is a freelance illustrator working here and there, in and around Philadelphia. She loves to make pictures for magazines, newspapers, books posters, and just about everything under the sun. Her clients have included The New York Times, The Atlantic, Simon & Schuster, and Random House. When she’s not drawing, she’s usually outside, finding new places to explore. You can see more of her artwork here!

How lovely!!

Q: I absolutely love your vivid, dreamscape-like style and your evocative palettes! Give us the scoop on your creative process—from initial ideas to sketches to final artworks.

A: Thanks so much, Jane! I always start with some scribbling in my sketchbook. I take a lot of notes during my brainstorming and it helps me get really clear on what the illustration is going to be about. A lot of times, illustrators are asked to draw kind of abstract concepts, so I like to think about how I can attach those concepts to a scene or an object. Once I feel like I have an idea, I make a million thumbnails, and then take one of them right into Photoshop where I start drawing! After I have an initial sketch and maybe a value structure, I dive into final detail drawings, and then finally add some color! 

Mysterious DNA...

Q: You create gorgeous illustrations for a wide variety of editorial clients, including numerous magazines and newspapers. What unique considerations are involved in creating editorial images and how is that different from other types of illustration?

A: The biggest difference is the deadline! Editorial work can be pretty quick, and for better or worse, it makes you think a little faster. I’ve had assignments that are due the same day, so it’s a pleasant surprise when I have a longer deadline and can really explore all of my options. For my editorial work, the solution that we land on isn’t always exactly what I want, but for the time constraints, it solves the problem.

Q: Dish with us a bit about who, what, where inspires you.
A: Ooh—lots of things inspire me! I love to travel and I’m big on getting out and doing other things when I’m feeling stuck, so if I can, I’ll go out for a walk or I’ll go somewhere new. Or if I’m feeling really stuck, especially for color, I’ll look through my old art history books and steal a few palettes or maybe a composition. But I’m art nouveau obsessed and I always find inspiration in Mucha. 

Oh, yeah! Game time!

Q: Tell us every little thing about your MOST favorite illustration project: one from your past and one from your present. 

A: I’ve loved all of my projects! I’ve learned something new from each of them.

I really liked working on my home game poster for the Philadelphia Eagles, because they gave me a lot of creative freedom and I got to learn a lot about football. I also got to do some hand lettering! It was a very interactive project, because I got to go to the game, sign the posters and meet the people taking them home. It was a really cool experience!

Right now I’m working on another children’s book that’s all about space and I’m sooo into it. I love looking at the stars and learning as much as I can about them, so it’s really exciting to me. Also, looking for reference is just the best. Any project where I get to learn something new is my favorite.

Oh! Fly sweet birdie!

Q: What advice would you give fellow illustrators about: 1) self-promotion, 2) best business practices and 3) daily work habits?

A: This is a big question! So much of this has been trial and error for me. Self promotion is especially hard for me. Posting on social media is my least favorite thing, but I do a lot of emails and post cards to different publications and it works for me.

As far as business practices, I know I really need to stick to regular hours and set boundaries for myself, otherwise I would work all the time. It’s hard as an artist to separate yourself sometimes. Work life balance is a real thing! And finding my daily work habits has been more trial and error! I’m a morning person, so I love getting up at like 6am and drawing and having coffee. And then more coffee. I’ve learned that I’m just about useless at 2pm, so I save easier work for the afternoon. Sometimes, I’ll work until 5pm or 6pm, but sometimes, if I feel like if I’ve accomplished enough, I’ll stop working early and go for a run or take care of errands or do something for myself. It’s all been a balance of creating structure, while also enjoying the fact that I create my own schedule! 

Onward, grad!

Q: Describe your most perfect Sunday.

A: I do love Sundays! It’s the most low pressure day of the week. My perfect Sunday starts with coffee! Maybe also with pancakes or waffles and then I would definitely include being outside. I love going on day hikes and taking pictures to use as reference later. Or just walking around somewhere and people watching. My boyfriend and I like to cook on Sundays, too, so we would be trying a new recipe in this scenario! And we’d probably end it with some sort of documentary or show. We’ve been bouncing between Jeopardy, Schitt’s Creek, Portlandia, and the Aaron Hernandez documentary, so any one of those!

Thanks so much, Kailey, for chatting it up with us here at Bird Meets Worm!! We think you're awesome!

Super Star Children's Book Reviews: Saturday

Welcome to the monthly children’s book review feature with a focus on diverse books here at Bird Meets Worm! My team of reviewers—Joan Charles, Laurie Young, Sarah Orgill—and I are so excited to be championing books celebrating everything from gender diversity, people of color, the LGBTQ community to ethnic, cultural and religious minorities, people with disabilities and developmental challenges to controversial topics, unique family situations and anything and everything I did not include. It is to say we take a rightfully broad view of diversity! We aim to shine a light on books that bring both familiar experiences to those who do not often see themselves represented in books and new experiences to those looking to expand their worldview. Here at Bird Meets Worm we believe in the power of story to build empathy and thus a better world for you and me and everyone. Look for a new review on the second Wednesday of every month.

SATURDAY
Written & Illustrated by Oge Mora
Picture Book (ages 4-8) • 40 pages
Published by Little, Brown BFYR • 2019
ISBN 978-0-316-43127-9 

Saturdays are special to Ava and her mother—it’s the one day of the week they get to spend together, doing their favorite things. But on this particular Saturday, their best plans are turned on their heads as one unexpected thing after another conspires to ruin their day.

As the disastrous day unfolds, everything goes wrong. Story time is a bust, a careless car ruins their hairdos and a picnic in the park is a fiasco. Throughout, Ava’s mother manages to stay positive. Just close your eyes, breathe deep, and move on, she tells Ava. But finally, after a day filled with disappointments, a pair of lost tickets is the straw that almost breaks Ava’s mother’s spirit. In an emotional and touching moment, Ava is able to reassure her mother that this Saturday was still special—because they were together.

Ms. Mora’s colorful and joyful cut-paper collages are filled with delightful detail. They dance across the pages, pulling the reader along through this lovely, heartfelt story that kids will want to read again and again.

Buy this book:

Barnes & Noble

Independent Publishers

Reviewed by: Joan Charles

Super Star Interviews: Joyce Wan

Welcome to my monthly interview feature! I’m so excited to be interviewing all the fabulous artists, illustrators and designers I’ve meet over the years (both personally and virtually!) and sharing their artwork and experiences here on Bird Meets Worm. Look for a new interview on the first Tuesday of every month.

This month I’m absolutely thrilled to be kicking off the New Year by catching up with the super star Illustrator Joyce Wan! I'm head-over-heels for her fabulously bold and mega-cute artwork! Joyce is an award-winning author-illustrator with over 20+ titles to her name, including Dream Big, which released last summer, and Sleepy Farm, which releases TODAY! (Hooray for Joyce!) She also runs her own stationery and gift business, Wanart, which sells products in thousands of boutiques, museum shops and gift stores worldwide. She currently live and works in Ridgewood, New Jersey with her husband and daughter. You can see more of her artwork here!

Yes, you CAN totally reach every mountain top!!!

                                      
Q: Your latest board book for Scholastic, Dream Big, is a sweet celebration of female trailblazers throughout history! (It’s so fabulous! Congratulations! Bonus: you can buy it here!) Give us the full scoop on Dream Big: how you came to be illustrating it, your teamwork with your publisher & what page is your favorite!

A: Thank you! I was inspired to write this book shortly after the 2016 elections, when listening to Hillary Clinton’s concession speech, I was struck by this line: “And to all of the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams.” I was also a new mom to a 6 month old baby girl at the time. I started thinking about dreams, the power of dreams, and how many of the world’s greatest accomplishments started with a dream and how I might want to convey that in book format. 

The book is written in a way so that it can be read as simple affirmations about dreams or one could delve deeper into the accomplishments of the trailblazers with the glossary in the back of the book as a starting point to learning more about these women. Although the book is about women, I do think it’s important for children, girls and boys both, to see examples of women demonstrating and being recognized for a wide variety of skills, abilities and accomplishments. The message in this book is straight from my heart to readers everywhere and I hope it helps to inspire the next generation of dreamers, darers and doers.

Due to other projects, I actually did not present a finished manuscript to my editor at Scholastic for Dream Big until a year later in the Fall of 2017. My editor loved the manuscript and asked me for an art sample to see what I envisioned since the concept was a departure from my previous work. I sent her a full color illustration of Amelia Earhart in the red airplane (as seen in the book) next to the words “DREAM HIGH” and everybody at Scholastic loved it.

While working on the book, I did a ton of research for the illustration part as I wanted to make sure I got the details right. I became even more inspired and my heart overflowed with gratitude for these women when I learned more about their lives, their accomplishments, and everything they endured for their dreams.

My favorite page is the Frida Kahlo spread. I had a lot of fun working on that one as it has a dreamy quality to it with the flora and fauna in her hair expanding beyond the boundaries of the pages of the book. 

Go wherever your dreams take you...

Q: Children’s book publishers have embraced the movement to inspire, create and support more diverse books for children in recent years. How do you see Dream Big fitting into that movement? And as a female Asian American illustrator, what new diverse stories would you like to see being published?

A: It’s such an exciting time to be working in children’s books and to be part of this movement. My editor and I made an effort to select a culturally diverse group of women for Dream Big. I also didn’t prominently display the women’s names on the pages as I wanted kids to see themselves in the pages of this book. Dream Big will inspire and empower kids to believe in themselves and their dreams by showing them people who look like them who have faced challenges, overcome obstacles and made a difference in the world.

I would love to see more books featuring diverse characters that aren’t explicitly about race. 

Ooo!!! Isn't Frida's page SO lovely!

Q: You are a master of illustrating board books, having created well over 20+ titles! (Now THAT’S super star!) What unique considerations are necessary when developing artwork for a board book? Tell us a bit about your approach—initial concepts to sketches to final artwork.

A: Typically, the board books that I both write and illustrate start as a concept first with some simple text and doodles. Next, I write a manuscript. Then I create a visual storyboard with thumbnail sketches of the pages. This helps me plan the general layout and content of each page and text placement without having to worry too much about the details at this point. Then I draw larger, tighter images to trim size. The concept may or may not include special novelty features like flaps for a lift-the-flap book or cutouts.

If they do, like my latest book, Sleepy Farm, I usually like to create a functional mechanical (with just paper and tape/glue) to make sure these special features actually work as I imagined in my head. Sometimes there is no order to this process and I bounce back and forth between writing the manuscript, drawing the pictures and fiddling with the mechanical. It can be a very organic process when you are both the author and the illustrator.

I would then send the sketches to my editor for approval (this may include pictures of my mechanicals or sometimes I show the mechanical in person). If it is a book with a special feature like lift-the-flap, the publisher may need to consult with their printer to figure out the best way to achieve the desired result. Then they may send me templates for me to incorporate my final artwork. If there are no special features, I just go straight to final artwork once sketches are approved.

Darling new release!! (Psst! You can buy it here!)

Q: I absolutely love your bold, graphic art style and adorable characters! Dish with us a bit about your creative influences & inspirations: the who/the what/the where.

A: I’m inspired by Japanese pop art and all things kawaii (Japanese term used to describe cute things). I grew up in the 80’s and was obsessed (and still am!) with Hello Kitty and friends which is the epitome of kawaii. Characterized by bold, clean lines, roly-poly shapes and smiling faces, my art appeals to both children and adults. Being able to spread warmth, love and joy through my art and inspiring kids to read and draw has been the greatest honor and fills my heart with constant gratitude. Artists who I admire include Yoshitomo Nara, Takashi Murakami, Simone Legno, FriendsWithYou—all kawaii-influenced artists who have managed to bridge the gap between commercial and fine art and have taken their art across all different kinds of mediums.

Q: What was your most treasured picture book as a child? What is your most favorite picture book now? Why?

A: The Very Hungry Caterpillar was a book I loved as a child and is still one of my favorites now. It's wonderfully surprising, tactile and almost magical elements still inspire me today.

Q: Describe your most perfect Sunday.

A: My most perfect Sunday involves sleeping in, enjoying a big, yummy bowl of pho followed by some bubble tea and exploring a new neighborhood, strolling through a flea market or perusing the shelves of an independent bookstore with my husband and daughter.

Thank you SO much, Joyce, for chatting it up with us here at Bird Meets Worm!! We think you're absolutely wonderful!