Leslie Leibhardt Goodman Children's Writer

Writer

Month: May 2017

Perfect Picture Book Friday Looks at More-igami

May 26, 2017 /

Folding paper for origami is something my mother taught me when I was about the same young age as Joey, the main character in today’s picture book, More-igami. I first learned how to fold simple creatures like bugs and puppies. Later, after learning the more challenging folds, I progressed up the ladder and folded my first crane. Granted, it looked like the poor bird barely escaped a major catastrophe with it slightly torn wing. (Translation: severed.) And with its crooked beak and many extra folds, what I really made was the origami equivalent of the creature from the black lagoon.

Crumple. Crumple. Crumple.

Eventually, after folding another five (make that fifteen) cranes, I succeeded.

Now, years later, my daughter is at the age where origami interests her. We have spent the last number of evenings pulling up instructions for various projects on youtube and following along with a fair amount of success. The perk is that with youtube, we can pause or back up any time we need extra clarification. The origami books I used when I was a child diagramed the steps with pictures, but those pictures often brought confusion followed by…

Crumple. Crumple. Crumple. Now, on to today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday review.

Title – More-igami

Written by – Dori Kleber  

illustrated by  – G. Brian Karas

Published by – Candlewick Press – 2016

Suitable for ages – 3-7

Topics – origami and determination

Opening – Joey loved things that folded. He collected old road maps. He played the accordion. He slept in a foldaway bed.

Amazon Review –  View it HERE. A creative young boy with a passion for practicing origami finds a surprising source of encouragement on his diverse city block.

Joey loves things that fold: maps, beds, accordions, you name it. When a visiting mother of a classmate turns a plain piece of paper into a beautiful origami crane, his eyes pop. Maybe he can learn origami, too. It’s going to take practice — on his homework, the newspaper, the thirty-eight dollars in his mother’s purse . . . Enough! No more folding! But how can Joey become an origami master if he’s not allowed to practice? Is there anywhere that he can hone the skill that makes him happy — and maybe even make a new friend while he’s at it?

Why do I like this book? Joey’s passion for things that fold shows up in surprising places, and for the most part, Joey (and the reader) sees this as a curious interest. But then… when the mother of a classmate demonstrates the art of origami at school, the light burns brightly for Joey. He now sees a direction and endless possibilities for his folding passion. And even though his first attempts are less than successful, this determined boy lets nothing stop him from mastering his newfound art. Seriously. What’s not to love? 

Want to learn a little more about Dori Kleber? Click HERE.

Want to learn a little more about G. Brian Karas? Click HERE.

Projects

Easy origami projects to make with kids HERE.

Shop for origami paper and how-to books on Amazon HERE.

Perfect Picture Book Friday Looks at Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping

May 19, 2017 /

The mere mention of camping and my skin crawls with the invisible legs of a million non-existent insects. I cringe at the thought of sleeping in a tent or any structure with walls that aren’t a few inches thick and that doesn’t have a door with a lock. And sleeping in a zippered bag on the ground…sorry, not happening.

Yes. I have experienced camping. The first time was back in Jr. high during a freak thunderstorm. Strangely, only my side of the tent lacked waterproofing. So, while my tent mates lay snoozing, I sat up all night, hovering my jacket over my head like a useless umbrella. A few years later, another camping trip came up at school. This time, parents were invited, and everyone was expected to bring a tent or a camper (if they had one). My family had neither, so we broke camp in our jeep. At bedtime, my sister claimed the front seat, and I slept in the back with my dad with the hatch open to accommodate his long legs. The next morning, I counted over 60 mosquito bites. No, not on all three of us. Just scattered over me like a blast of confetti on New Year’s Eve. Then, years and years later, my husband found a place to camp where we could stay in a rustic cabin. Hmmm. A real bed, sturdy walls, and a door that locks, you say? Yes! I can do this.

“Wait. You’re saying rustic means no place to plug in my hairdryer???”

Honestly, I’ve tried to love camping, and I understand the lure of sleeping in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nature, but after several tries, I’ve concluded that the most ideal way for me to camp is in a hotel (in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nature).

“Room service? Could you please send a bowl of strawberries and cream up to room #349? Thank you.”

Now that I’ve aired my feelings about camping with you, I am thrilled to share a picture book that stars a squirrel who feels very much as I do about this well-loved, outdoor activity.  Please welcome, Scaredy Squirrel!

Title – Scaredy Squirrel Goes Camping

Written and illustrated by  – Melanie Watts

Published by – Kids Can Press – 2013

Suitable for ages – 3-7

Topics – Camping, expectations, fears, conquering fears.

Opening – Scaredy Squirrel never goes camping. He’d rather be comfortable inside than risk going out in the rugged wilderness. Besides, setting up camp seems like a lot of trouble.

Amazon Review –  View it HERE. Scaredy Squirrel is not too comfortable with the idea of camping … unless it’s on his couch! There will be no mosquitoes, skunks or zippers to worry about when he watches a show about the joys of camping on his brand-new TV. But first Scaredy must find an electrical outlet, and that means going into the woods! Will the nutty worrywart’s plans prepare him for the great outdoors, or will his adventure end up as a scary story told around the campfire?

Why do I like this book? Scaredy Squirrel is nervous about this new experience of camping. In fact, he’s so afraid, he brings along a television with plans of watching nature from the safety of his tree. But, one small problem surfaces… In nature, there aren’t any outlets. (Sound like someone you know?) After packing his survival supplies and getting into his protective, wilderness outfit, he treks out to the camping grounds in search of an outlet. armed with all his protective gear, supplies, plans, and maps – he goes on a trek to the nearby camping ground to find electrical outlets. As luck would have it, something unexpected happens. You’ll have to check out this book to find out what. With simple, adorable, and humorous illustrations, this Scaredy Squirrel book is a cover to cover winner! 

Want to learn a little more about Melanie Watt? Click HERE.

Perfect Picture Book Friday Looks at Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe

May 12, 2017 /

Picking up scraps of fabric from the floor and sewing table as my aunt measured and cut out pattern pieces for my clothes, thrilled me as a child. I would bundle up the useable pieces, meaning any scraps of fabric big enough to make something from, and save them in a big basket. At home, I’d drape the fabric pieces over my dolls, same as I had watched my aunt drape the larger pieces of fabric over me or her dressmaker doll, and fashion a miniature wardrobe. When I achieved the right look and style, I’d thread my needle and stitch the fabrics into dresses and skirts. As a new and very young seamstress, I hadn’t learned how to sew buttons, button holes, and zippers, so I kept the dresses and skirts closed on my dolls with a length of ribbon as a fancy sash.

Years later when I was about twelve, my aunt figured I had observed her long enough and was ready to cut out and sew something for myself. I started with simple skirts and shorts. Over time, I worked up to more complex shirts and dresses. When I can find the time, I still enjoy sewing. But these days, most everything I make is with love for my daughter. Some of you might have heard me shout out on Facebook when she announced, “By the way, Mom, I need a Belle costume from Beauty and the Beast for school in three days.” And…speaking of sewing gowns, today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday selection is Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe. 

Title – Fancy Party Gowns: The Story of Fashion Designer Ann Cole Lowe

Written by  – Deborah Blumenthal

Illustrated by – Laura Freeman

Published by – Little Bee Books – 2017

Suitable for ages – 4-8

Topics – African American fashion designer, determination.

Opening – When she was old enough to thread a needle, Ann Cole Lowe’s momma and grandma taught her how to sew.

Wisps of cloth would fall from their worktables like confetti, and Ann would scoop them up and turn them into flowers as bright as roses in the garden.

Ann’s family came from Alabama. Her great-grandma had been a slave, so her family knew about working hard just to get by.

Amazon Review –  View it HERE. A beautiful picture book about Ann Cole Lowe, a little-known African-American fashion designer who battled personal and social adversity in order to pursue her passion of making beautiful gowns and went on to become one of society’s top designers.

Why do I like this book? On a personal note, I enjoyed reading a book about a designer who started her fashion career stitching scraps of fabrics she gathered in her mother’s sewing room–same as I enjoyed doing when I was a child. (However, my young seamstress days took me down a different path.) Ann Cole Lowe was an African American fashion designer who, because of her color, had to study alone in a separate classroom. Despite the unfairness, she pushed forward and continued to design one of a kind gowns, eventually earning enough money to open her own Manhattan salon where she was commissioned to sew a very special wedding gown. When wedding bells rang, it was for the future first lady of the United States, Jacqueline Bouvier Kenedy. The story inspires and shows, that with determination, anything is possible.

Want to learn a little more about Ann Cole Lowe? Click HERE.

Learn more about Deborah Blumenthal HERE.

Learn more about Laura Freeman HERE.

Perfect Picture Book Friday Looks at Bridget's Beret

May 5, 2017 /

Relaxation wasn’t something my parents encouraged. To them, doing nothing wasted life. To this day, I can still hear their voices echo each evening, “What do you have to show for this day?” Translation: What did you accomplish? What did you create? And can we please see it? The one thing I did every day and loved to do every day was creating art.

Looking back at those days, whether I was at home, school, the bank, a restaurant, or in the backseat of the family car, I drew pictures of the world and people around me. I was never without paper, pencils, and watercolors. True then, true now.  And although I don’t illustrate my picture book manuscripts, I often sketch the actions of my characters to help me visualize them, see their environments, and make sure I’m changing scenes with my page turns.

The picture book I chose to review today stars Bridget, a young artist who believes she needs to wear a black beret – “The kind of hat that lots of Great Artists wear.” in order to make art. I wish I had known about the hat when I was a child. Like Bridget, I had an image in my mind of what artists should look like, but my image didn’t include that wonderful hat. I pictured an artist wearing a smock with more paint splatters than fabric showing, dried paint in many shades on the hands, and slightly disheveled hair that made the bold statement, “I’m too busy being creative to care about such petty details as my appearance.”  But enough about my image of what an artist looks like. It’s time to meet Bridget!

Title – Bridget’s Beret

Written by  – Tom Lichtenheld

Illustrated by – Tom Lichtenheld

Published by – Christy Ottaviano Books – 2010

Suitable for ages – 3-7

Topics – preconceived notions, art, creativity, confidence, artist’s block

Opening – Bridget was drawn to drawing. She liked to draw as much as other kids liked ice cream.

Amazon Review –  View it HERE.  Bridget loves to draw, and she likes to wear a beret for inspiration. So when her beloved hat blows away, Bridget searches for it high and low. She files a Missing Beret Report. She even considers other hats, but none of them feel quite right. It’s no use; without her beret, Bridget can’t seem to draw. How will she overcome her artist’s block?

Make sure to check out Bridget’s notebook scribbles at the end of the book for her thoughts and facts on art!
Bridget’s Beret is a 2011 Bank Street – Best Children’s Book of the Year.

Why do I like this book? Because I was much like Bridget when I was a child, (minus the beret) but bursting with artistic visions I drew on every sheet of paper, napkin, borders of homework, and backs of notebooks, I felt a kinship to this little girl who loses her hat and with it, the feeling she can no longer create art. The revelation Bridget experiences when she discovers her artistic ability lies inside her and not in the beret is a beautiful, triumphant moment for the reader. Yes, the reader. Because we see her artistic gift return long before Bridget does. And, when the neighbors believe the many lemonade stand signs she painted for her little sister are really advertisements for her art opening, the reader cheers louder still. Tom Lichtenheld, whom I recently had the pleasure of listening to at the SCBWI Spring Thaw Conference, has a powerful gift both as a writer and as an illustrator, and those gifts shine in Bridget’s Beret. (A picture book I’ll be adding to my shelf very soon.)

Learn more about Tom Lichtenheld HERE.

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