A Bad Case Of Stripes: An inspiring Children’s Book with a Positive Message

“With technology developing at a record pace and kids mastering iPads before they’re even out of diapers, it’s more important than ever to instill the love of reading in our children,” writes Julie Handler, co-founder of Positively Positive:

Although it’s never too late, the importance of getting kids to develop a love for reading early on often correlates with a love for learning, a passion for lifelong reading, and so many other positive traits that ultimately lead to the empowerment needed for success.

In our home we have acquired quite the collection of literary gems — in fact, we have more books than toys. I’ve happened upon wonderful books in all kinds of random places, so I’m always on the lookout. Of course, the library is always a great option, which we frequent at least every other week — a ritual which we started before the girls could even walk. Another one of my favorite places to find amazing books is museum bookshops. You would be surprised at the treasures you may come across there.

My favorite book from Handler’s list of 50 Inspiring Children’s Books with a Positive Message, is  A Bad Case Of Stripes, written and illustrated by David Shannon.

Camilla Cream loves lima beans, but she never eats them. Why? Because the other kids in her school don”t like them. And Camilla Cream is very, very worried about what other people think of her. In fact, she”s so worried that she”s about to break out in… a bad case of stripes!

“On this … book’s striking dust jacket, a miserable Betty-Boop-like girl, completely covered with bright bands of color, lies in bed with a thermometer dangling from her mouth,” wrote one reviewer.  “The rainbow-hued victim is Camilla Cream, sent home from school after some startling transformations: ‘when her class said the Pledge of Allegiance, she turned red, white, and blue, and she broke out in stars!’ Scientists and healers cannot help her, for after visits from “an old medicine man, a guru, and even a veterinarian… she sprouted roots and berries and crystals and feathers and a long furry tail.” The paintings are technically superb … The doe-eyed girl changes her stripes at anyone’s command, and only nonconformity can save her. When she finally admits her unspeakable secret … she loves lima beans … she is cured. Shannon (How Georgie Radbourn Saved Baseball) juggles dark humor and an anti-peer-pressure message. As her condition worsens, Camilla becomes monstrous, ultimately merging with the walls of her room. The hallucinatory images are eye-popping.”

School Library Journal called it:

A highly original moral tale acquires mythic proportions when Camilla Cream worries too much about what others think of her and tries desperately to please everyone. First stripes, then stars and stripes, and finally anything anyone suggests (including tree limbs, feathers, and a tail) appear vividly all over her body. The solution: lima beans, loved by Camilla, but disdained for fear they’ll promote unpopularity with her classmates. Shannon’s exaggerated, surreal, full-color illustrations take advantage of shadow, light, and shifting perspective to show the girl’s plight. Bordered pages barely contain the energy of the artwork; close-ups emphasize the remarkable characters that inhabit the tale. Sly humor lurks in the pictures, too. For example, in one double-page spread the Creams are besieged by the media including a crew from station WCKO. Despite probing by doctors and experts, it takes “an old woman who was just as plump and sweet as a strawberry” to help Camilla discover her true colors. Set in middle-class America, this very funny tale speaks to the challenge many kids face in choosing to act independently.

Shannon’s over-the-top art is sensational, an ingenious combination of the concrete and the fantastic that delivers more than enough punch to make up for the somewhat heavy hand behind the story, and as usual, his wonderfully stereotypic characters are unforgettable. The pictures are probably enough to attract young browsers (Camilla in brilliant stripped glory graces the jacket), and the book’s irony and wealth of detail may even interest readers in higher grades.

Booklist said:

Camilla, who loves lima beans but won’t eat them because it’s not cool, finds that deferring to others isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, her desire to please and be popular causes her some spectacular problems: she suddenly breaks out in stripes, then stars, then turns “purple polka-dotty” at the behest of a delighted classmate. Her weird mutations, which stymie doctors and send the media into a frenzy, become more and more extreme until she finally blends into the walls of her room–her lips the red-blanketed mattress on her bed, her eyes the paintings on the wall. Will she never be herself again? Shannon’s over-the-top art is sensational, an ingenious combination of the concrete and the fantastic that delivers more than enough punch to make up for the somewhat heavy hand behind the story, and as usual, his wonderfully stereotypic characters are unforgettable. The pictures are probably enough to attract young browsers (Camilla in brilliant stripped glory graces the jacket), and the book’s irony and wealth of detail may even interest readers in higher grades. Try this for leading into a discussion on being different.

David Shannon is the internationally acclaimed creator of more than thirty picture books, including NO, DAVID!, a Caldecott Honor Book and his second NEW YORK TIMES Best Illustrated Book of the Year. In addition to three more David picture books, Shannon’s bestsellers include TOO MANY TOYS; HOW GEORGIE RADBOURN SAVED BASEBALL (newly released in 2012); A BAD CASE OF STRIPES; DUCK ON A BIKE; ALICE THE FAIRY; and GOOD BOY, FERGUS! A native of Spokane, Washington, he is an avid fisherman. He and his family live in California.

BEAN DOG & NUGGET: Charise Mericle Harper Cooks Up Another Great Book Idea

This is an excerpt from an excellent blog entry by Charise Mericle Harper.

The other day I was at my son’s book fair, talking with his teacher. A few of my books were included in the event, and she picked one up and flipped through it. All of a sudden she asked, “Where do you get your ideas?” I’m pretty good at answering this question at school talks, but on the spot, I was speechless. I ended up smiling uncomfortably, shrugging my shoulders and saying, “I don’t know,” and then I quickly changed the subject.

On stage and in front of a group, I’m fine with the spotlight, but in a social situation, the last thing I’m comfortable talking about is me. Later that day, I started feeling guilty about how I’d responded. I should have made more of an effort to answer her, because her question was a good one. In fact, it was the exact same question I always want to ask other authors and illustrators. It’s why I’m always excited to meet them. I want to know: How do you do that thing that you do? Where do you get your ideas? And how do you get those ideas to swirl together perfectly so you can use them?

Read the full text of:  BEAN DOG & NUGGET: Charise Mericle Harper Cooks Up Another Great Book Idea
Using simple text and cartoon-style illustrations, Charise Mericle Harper introduces young readers to a new graphic novel series, Bean Dog and Nugget.These two engaging characters capture young kids’ actions, reactions, conversations, imagination, and humor with spot-on accuracy. Kids will want to follow Bean Dog and Nugget and their adventures in each and every book in the series.
In The Ball, Bean Dog and Nugget lose Bean Dog’s shiny new ball in a bush. They dream up elaborate and silly ways to get it back while they argue about who is actually going to go and get it. Enter Superdog and Ninja Nugget for a hilarious ending that kids will love and relate to.

CHARISE MERICLE HARPER has written and illustrated numerous children’s books, including Just Grace; Wedgieman: A Hero Is Born; Wedgieman to the Rescue; The Power of Cute; Gigi in the Big City; Milo’s Special Words; Good Night, Leo; Pink Me Up; When Randolph Turned Rotten; Fashion Kitty; and Fashion Kitty Versus the Fashion Queen. She lives in Mamaroneck, New York, with her husband and their two children. Charise loves creating art and stories, petting her cat, drinking coffee, and eating pie.

AL and TEDDY, first picture book published by Dream Yard Press “destined to become a classic.”

This is the story of Al, who is also King Alejandro, and his kid brother Teddy. Who is four. Almost five. Every night Al flies to exotic places and meets fantastic beings, and every morning he’s back in his room in their little house. Because Al can draw and paint. And he promises Teddy that some day Teddy can come along. Some day. When Teddy is five. But then things change…

AL and TEDDY is the first picture book published by Dream Yard Press. It is the story of love and friendship between two brothers, and the power of art to transform children’s lives.
This book tells a great story “that you can show to your kids while you read to them, so they can also dream about the moon monster (who isn’t so monstrous, really) and have an example of how siblings (mostly) look out for each other (pretty much).” With small wheels under the cockpit and bursts of energy from jet propulsion, Al flies his blue rocket across the nighttime sky, searching for faraway places,” according to a write-up on Kidlitreviews.

Every parent remembers the moment when siblings first began bonding — the joy, the pain, the rivalry, the struggle.
Each morning by dawn, Al returns home to his younger brother Teddy, and draws pictures of where he went.  Teddy wants more; he wants to go with his big brother on these trips, but cannot.  He must be five-years-old and he is four.  Teddy is not happy, but waits the year out.  One year later, Teddy excitedly reminds Al it is time to fly, but Al has bad news.  Teddy must wait until he is six-years-old.  Teddy reacts furiously.

The words and spreads in Al and Teddy are so tenderly wrought they will bring tears to any parent or child’s eyes. This a compelling story of imagination and young brotherly love. It’s very sweet without ever being sappy or over the top.  The book also does a great job of celebrating little boys without being too stereotypical.  I’m impressed with how well it is executed.

Kidlitreviews. continues:

Al shares his nightly journeys with Teddy—who narrates the story—through his art.  Teddy’s adoration of his big brother is obvious.  Al enjoys sharing his stories and art with Teddy. Parents with toddlers will identify with Teddy’s mood changes and the love-hate feelings the child displays. The boys accept each other as they are and need no words to convey their contriteness or forgiveness.  There is a feeling of magic during Al’s travels and again as he shares them with Teddy.  Children of all ages will love the story of brotherly love, forgiveness, and imagination that flows from Al’s creativity to Teddy’s heart.

The author writes:

Hello. I’m Neil Waldman, writer and illustrator of more than fifty books for children. My books have won the Christopher Award, the National Jewish Book Award, the School Library Best Book Award, the American Library Association Notable Award, and many others.
“AL and TEDDY” is my newest picture book. Published by Dream Yard Press, a new not-for-profit publisher of children’s books. All proceeds from sales of “AL and TEDDY” will be used to support the young artists of the Fred Dolan Art Academy, a free Saturday art school designed to help Bronx youngsters go to art college. Founded in 2006, twenty-three students have graduated from the academy, all going on to college with scholarships. They’ve been accepted at Dartmouth, the Chicago Art Institute, USC, NYU, the Rhode Island School of Design, and the School of Visual Arts. But despite this unprecedented success, the academy’s funding has been slashed. We’re trying to get word out, that every time someone buys a copy of “AL and TEDDY,” we use the money to buy oil paints, watercolors, sketchpads, easels, and healthy lunches for our students. We’re hoping you’ll join us, and help support our kids.

An amazon reviewer said:

Every once in a long while, I open a new picture book that I know is destined to become a classic. Al and Teddy is such a book. The illustrations are remarkable . . . filled with excitement and wonderful color. The technique is reminiscent of Maurice Sendak – exquisite, masterful! . . . and beautifully designed. The story is compelling. It will draw young readers in from the opening page, and take them on a thrilling ride that culminates with a fresh and unexpected ending. And if this wasn’t enough, it’s for a good cause. Profits from book sales go to a free art school in the Bronx that helps young artists go to college. So, this one is a no-brainer . . . . I give Al and Teddy 5 stars!

The more picture books I read with my girls, the more I come to appreciate books that promote goodness and love.  I am glad that this book crossed my path.  It is a true joy and promotes the happy, wonderful things about having  little ones.   Waldman can not only reach children with words — his illustrations are among the best in the business. The images in this work are  pure parental delight and place this sibling tale an aesthetic notch above the rest.

An intricate and satisfying homage to green, the color of all creation, from the “Queen of the concept book”

“Subtle cutouts on each richly painted page of Laura Vaccaro Seeger’s ‘Green’ similarly create a mystical sense of complexity and continuity. In this case, the images on each page refer both backward and forward, permitting a fascinating interplay of shade and hue, from the ‘khaki green’ of a lizard to the ‘never green’ of a stop sign.”–The Wall Street Journal

Die cut pages bring surprise after surprise in this magical new book from the “Queen of the concept book”—an intricate and satisfying homage to green, the color of all creation.

How many kinds of green are there? There’s the lush green of a forest on a late spring day, the fresh, juicy green of a just-cut lime, the incandescent green of a firefly, and the vivid aquamarine of a tropical sea. In her newest book, Caldecott and Geisel Honor Book author Laura Vaccaro Seeger fashions an homage to a single color and, in doing so, creates a book that will delight and, quite possibly astonish you.

“…the reader who settles down and slowly pages through its gorgeous acrylic paintings or, better yet, reads it aloud to a young child, will find rich rewards. Each spread describes a particular shade of green — forest green, sea green, lime green, pea green, jungle green — and the list actually does go on and on.”–New York Times

One Amazon reviewer wrote:

Sometimes you just want to show a kid a beautiful picture book. Sometimes you also want that book to be recent. That’s the tricky part. Not that there aren’t pretty little picture books churned out of publishing houses every day. Of course there are. But when you want something that distinguishes itself and draws attention without sparkles or glitter the search can be a little fraught. We children’s librarians sit and wait for true beauty to fall into our laps. The last time I saw it happen was Jerry Pinkney’s The Lion & the Mouse. Now I’m seeing it again with Laura Vaccaro Seeger’s Green. I mean just look at that cover. I vacillate between wanting to smear those thick paints with my hands and wanting to lick it to see if it tastes like green frosting. If my weirdness is any kind of a litmus test, kids will definitely get a visceral reaction when they flip through the pages. I know we’re talking colors here but if I were to capture this book in a single word then there’s only one that would do: Delicious.

Open the book and the first pictures you see are of a woodland scene. Two leaves hang off a nearby tree as the text reads “forest green”. Turn the page and those leaves, cut into the paper itself, flip over to two fishies swimming in the deep blue sea. A tortoise swims lazily by, bubbles rising from its head (“sea green”). Another page and the holes of the bubbles are turned over to become the raised bumps on a lime. And so it goes with each new hole or cut connecting one kind of green to another. We see khaki greens, wacky greens, slow greens and glow greens until at last Seeger fills the page with boxes filled with different kinds of green. This is followed by a stop sign and the words “never green” against an autumn background. On the next page it is winter and “no green” followed by an image of a boy planting something. The final spread shows a man and his daughter gazing at a tree. The description: “forever green”. You bet.

According to –Publishers Weekly, “Seeger’s skill at creating simple yet wonderfully effective concept books, as well as her mastery of die-cuts that delight in unexpected and ingenious ways, are in full evidence in this salute to the color green.”

Among Laura Vaccaro Seeger’s many distinctive books for children are First the Egg–a Caldecott Honor Book and a Geisel Honor Book; One Boy–a Geisel Honor Book; and Dog and Bear: Two Friends, Three Stories–winner of the Boston Globe-Horn Book award. Laura lives on Long Island with her husband, Chris, their two sons, Drew and Dylan, and their dog, Copper.

 ”Just when it seems that there could not possibly be anything new to present about this trendy color, Seeger creates a tactile treat that yields surprise with every page turn.”–School Library Journal