May Reads - 2017

[Kristen]

Cricket Song by Anne Hunter

Ideas Are All Around by Philip C. Stead

When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons by Julie Fogliano

Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood by F. Isabel Campoy

Are any of these titles distinctive?

[Laura]

I adore these titles! Every one of them is Caldecott worthy. The illustrator for When Green Becomes Tomatoes isn't a U.S. resident, unfortunately. Can't be a contender but her work is stellar!

[Christie]

Maybe Something Beautiful is absolutely stunning on its own - then the notes at the back leave me even more inspired. I think this could really be a contender.

[Laura]

I believe Raphael Lopez recreated illustrations from Maybe Something Beautiful as a mural in San Diego on April 30. He is magnificent.

[Meredith]

I think When Green Becomes Tomatoes could be a Newbery contender! Love, love, loved it. I read some of the poems to my 1st graders and asked them to guess the season being described. Their guesses were about 95% accurate, which I think speaks to the phenomenal word choice and tone.

[Beverly]

Cricket Song:
What a beautiful book, that looks at two different places, a coastal home (in the US?) and an island home, and connects the two places with the whales in the middle of the ocean; and that connects the two sleeping children with cricket song. The illustrations in watercolor and ink are beautiful; and I agree that the extra panel at the bottom adds much to the text.

[Beverly]

Maybe Something Beautiful:
I agree with Christie that this is a truly inspiring book. The mixed-media artwork is lively and joyful. I loved the contrast in the end papers: the front endpapers depict drab, gray buildings, and the final endpapers show those same buildings in glorious colors, which pretty much sums up the plot of the book. It is wonderful how the entire community became involved in the beautification project.

[Caren]

"Cricket Song" is gorgeous.

[Charlene]

I read Ideas Are All Around last month. I loved how the Polaroid pictures were used in the layout.

[Beverly]

Ideas are all Around:
I liked the text of this book, very inspiring for young authors. I was less impressed with the artwork, although I have really liked the art in some of his other books. But I did like the way he interspersed the Polaroids with his paintings.

[Beverly]

When Green Becomes Tomatoes:
Laura is correct--the illustrator is from Canada and not eligible for the Caldecott.
I did like the poems very much, especially since there was one poem for my birthday! I liked the illustrations, and I thought that they went very well with the poems, but I did not think they were outstanding.

[Charlene]

Maybe Something Beautiful
I can always tell a Rafael Lopez illustration when I see one. He always mixes in the violets, pinks and purples just like Drum Dream Girl. I love the colorfulness of his illustrations. I also love the story of a dull neighborhood being filled with joy through color. As much as I love it I don't think it trump's Anne Hunter's Cricket Song.

[❦❧Stacy❦❧]

I wasn't a huge fan of any of these. Maybe Something Beautiful was inspiring and would be great to use along with an art program.

[Jenni]

I really enjoyed all of these books and would not be surprised to see them amongst all the real contenders at the end of the year. When Green Becomes Tomatoes is by far my most favorite, achieving that perfect balance of text and illustrations. I've read conflicting accounts about the eligibility of Morstad, and hope she isn't out of the running. I loved how her illustrations seemed spare, but had a lot of lovely little details just like the poems. I see a lot of potential in this book fora read aloud and for teaching poetry to young students.

[Ann]

When Green Becomes Tomatoes captures magic moments experienced through all the senses, and puts into words thoughts we barely whisper to ourselves, rhapsodizing a charmed and privileged life and exhibiting the joys of "be here now." I wonder if any of the author's other books capture the beauty and texture that can be experienced by children who live urban lives, who may never have stood on an ocean shore.

[Charlene]

So far I have read Cricket Song. I admired Anne Hunter's work. She is illustrating two stories at once. The illustrations at the bottom of every page are so detailed, which is impressive for such little space. She brings the reader on a journey of one sleeping child to another, while never leaving the location of the first sleeping child. In the beginning she describes the breeze blowing in the window and the illustrations on that particular page draws me right in.
Not sure if it is a caldecott winner but I am now a fan!

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[Serenity]

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get my hands on When Green Becomes Tomatoes, but I'll keep looking. I thought Ideas Are All Around was fun, but I'm not sure the illustrations make it a contender. Maybe Something Beautiful was a lovely book and I think it could easily become a classroom favorite, regardless of medal status. My favorite this month, illustration-wise, was Cricket Song. They were just beautiful, and so many details. Just a delight.

[Serenity]

Beverly wrote: "Cricket Song:
What a beautiful book, that looks at two different places, a coastal home (in the US?) and an island home, and connects the two places with the whales in the middle of the ocean; and..."

Yes, this!

[Jen]

So far May has been my favorite Caldecott month. I really enjoyed each one of the titles.
When Green Becomes Tomoatoes--beautiful poetry and amazing illustrations, but is Julie Morstad eligible? My favorite poem is October 31. I also liked that the book started and ended with the same poem, but the illustration was one year later (different gloves).
Ideas Are All Around--Do I need to say more than Philip Stead? I loved the typeset, the Polaroid photos, and how the collage all worked together.
Maybe Something Beautiful--This book reminds me of The Curious Garden by turning something that had become dilapidated into something beautiful. The transformation of the illustrations throughout the story allow the text and illustrations to work seamlessly together. The color and vibrancy bring the book to life.
Cricket Song--I loved how Hunter illustrated both parts of the story at the same time without it being overtly obvious.

[Jesse]

I'm super bummed that I haven't been able to get my hands on When Green Becomes Tomatoes or Maybe Something Beautiful. When my holds finally come in I'll be excited. I did, however, read the other two.

I'm not a fan of Ideas Are All Around. The format and layout just didn't work for me. I like the idea the author is trying to get across, but the mix of photographs and illustrations (and the story) didn't evoke any strong emotions.

I loved Cricket Song though! I have never encountered a picture book that showed the passage of time in such a way. The artwork itself was beautiful, but the way it all came together was wonderful. I can definitely see this one being a Caldecott contender. I'm going to have to keep my eye out for future works by this author!

[Christie]

I finally got my hands on a copy of Ideas Are All Around and I was so....underwhelmed. It seemed kind of gimmicky to me. Very flat and not incredibly engaging.