A Voice Is a Many-Colored Thing

When I learned the dazzling Barbara McClintock had created the artwork for Natalie Merchant’s recently released Leave Your Sleep: A Collection of Classic Children’s Poetry, I just had to experience that. The stellar combination of McClintock’s lushly detailed, pen-and-ink and colored images with Merchant’s many-hued voice has produced a rare sensory feast for all ages. Along with the rich selection of 19 poems from Merchant’s 2010 album of the same title comes a full-length CD that shows off her musical virtuosity.

Featuring an amazing range of musical styles and moods (as depicted in this Macmillan YouTube), Merchant has crafted melodies that cleverly evoke the mood of each poem. Some classic poems — Stevenson’s dreamy “The Land of Nod,” Ogden Nash’s sassy “Adventures of Isabel,” and the beloved “I Saw a Ship A-Sailing” — show up here, but pleasant surprises abound, too. Particularly delightful is her adaptation of “The Dancing Bear” by Albert Bigelow Paine: “Oh, it’s fiddle-de-dum and fiddle-de-dee,/ The dancing bear ran away with me.” Merchant’s lilting voice trips along to the playful tune performed by the Klezmatics, with their bouncy accordion, horns, and, of course, a fiddle. A few poems (“Vain and Careless” by Robert Graves and “Nursery Rhyme of Innocence and Experience” by Charles Causley) might seem somewhat dark for inclusion in a children’s book, but Merchant wisely refuses to be hemmed in by traditional expectations.

In her intriguing introduction, Merchant explains this collection sprang from her experiences with her young daughter. “I tried to show her that speech could be the most delightful toy in her possession and that her mother tongue is rich with musical rhythms and rhymes. … Poetry speaks of so much: longing and sadness, joy and beauty, hope and disillusionment. These are the things that make a childhood, that time when we wake up to the great wonders and small terrors of our world.”

What a gift to be able to join her daughter in experiencing these poems by hearing them sung and by gazing at McClintock’s bounty of images that dip into exuberant ice-cream-cone licking (for Prelutsky’s “Bleezer’s Ice-Cream”) and the gentleness of a painted elephant (“The Blind Men and the Elephant” by John Godfrey Saxe).

Why not start the year on a high note with this remarkable book and CD?

Related links

92nd Street Y’s K-3rd grade unit features Leave Your Sleep.

“Natalie Merchant on Motherhood as Muse,” from Huffington Post.

McClintock’s Magical Spin on Dickens

We’ve witnessed a bevy of books relating to the awesome Victorian author Charles Dickens, as the bicentennial of his birth approaches February 7.  Some of the best of the recent Dickens-related children’s books include Deedy’s charming The Cheshire Cheese Cat (see my prior post), Deborah Hopkinson’s dramatic picture-book biography, A Boy Called Dickens; and Andrea Warren’s insightful Charles Dickens and the Street Children of London, which places the author’s fictional references to the poor in historical context (recommended for ages 10 and older).

This month seems like the perfect time to revisit Barbara McClintock‘s lovely, wintry picture book based on a little-known 1868 Dickens story. Molly and the Magic Wishbone, winner of a 2001 Parents Choice Award, is one of those endearing books that children, especially cat-lovers, cherish — if they have the chance to hear or read it. (Even though Molly‘s already out of print, you can find a copy either at your library or through a source such as Alibris.)

With fantastic, atmospheric details, McClintock paints the lively streets of a nineteenth-century London populated by an assortment of expressive birds, foxes, mice and other creatures, dressed in top hats, long gowns, and bonnets. Molly, a gray-and-white cat, is the wise sister and heroine of the story. With Mama ill, she sets out for the market to procure dinner. While carrying her basket of fish home, Molly meets a kind, elderly fairy godmother who tells her she will find a magic wishbone that will grant her one wish.

Molly searches for her sister.

“Sure enough, that night, right after all the fish was eaten, one thin white bone was left on Molly’s plate./ It must be true!” What will she wish for? While the younger siblings hatch visions of candy, toys, and such, Molly exercises patience and common sense. Just as she entertains wishing for a wardrobe of elegant dresses, little sis Phylis comes up missing. The impish kitten has sneaked out to seek a wishbone of her own and has become lost in the snowy streets. Molly realizes this is the time to put her magic to use.

I feel quite sure Dickens himself would embrace McClintock’s Molly and the Magic Wishbone, with its handsome illustrations and cozy, reassuring conclusion. Like her other children’s books, it both reflects and responds to the emotional needs of children (in this case, of ages 5 to 8).
Here are other McClintock books that are great to read aloud:

Related article

“What the Dickens?! For Kids!” from Riverfront Times.

One Snowy Day a Groundhog Met a Fox

Blackaby, Susan. Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox. Illus. by Carmen Segovia. Sterling, 2011. Ages 4-7.

If you’re seeking a whimsical read-aloud for Groundhog’s Day, you’ve found it. Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox sparkles with wit and sly charm. Brownie is a clever groundhog that meets a hungry would-be predator on a cloudy February 2nd. The fox tells her, “Hold still…. I’m trying to eat you for breakfast.” Brownie’s flip response is that it’ s simply too late for breakfast. The two find they both hate to wait. Brownie suggests the fox work up an appetite by clearing the snow off the pond. Segovia’s humorous image shows the fox putting his fluffy tail to good use. Alas, after all that effort, it’s too late for lunch, says Brownie. Then the tricky groundhog leads the fox to a tree and winds her scarf around and around the fox, binding him to the trunk.

Brownie’s little heart is touched, though, as she hears the fox’s plaintive cries. She decides it’s time to share what’s in her basket: cocoa and cinnamon toast. The crumbs attract a robin — the first sign of spring! The two new friends leave for home, pondering their next adventure. The illustrator’s note describes how Segovia first conceived of this engaging character one winter as she sketched a groundhog. Her wintry palette, splashed with the fox’s red, is as refreshing as that impromptu picnic.

Enhance a snowy story with the cold facts, perfectly described and displayed in

Cassino, Mark and Jon Nelson. The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter’s Wonder. Chronicle, 2009. Ages 4-9. You’ll be singing songs of snow, glorious snow after reading this snappy little informative book. Cassino and Nelson reveal the scientific nature of snow by using an accessible format featuring a brief fact in a large type size, then giving details in smaller text. Readers will learn of the three major types of crystals (star-shaped, plate and columnar), as well as other interesting facts. (It’s the molecular structure of water that creates the six-sided crystals, for instance.) The superb illustrations include both spectacular photographs that beg to be shared and Aoyagi’s ink and watercolor diagrams that show how a crystal develops from a speck of soil, pollen, or other substance, and then develops into an intricate six-sided beauty. Also noteworthy are the clear instructions on catching and examining snow crystals — just the trick for getting readers to venture outside to explore wintry wonders.

More and More Snow …

Alarcon, Francisco X. Iguanas in the Snow and Other Winter Poems. illus. by Maya Christina Gonzalez. Children’s Book Press, 2001. Ages 7+ Fresh poems, often written from an unusual perspective, grace bright and beautiful pages showcasing poems in both Spanish and in English.

Andersen, Hans Christian. The Snow Queen. Trans. and retold by Naomi Lewis. Illus. by Christian Birmingham. Candlewick, 2008. Ages 8-10. Don’t miss Andersen’s most beautiful fairy tale, a source of inspiration for C.S. Lewis and other fantasy writers. Of the many versions available, Lewis’s is the one you want. This memorable wintry tale begs to be read aloud: “The cloak and cap were made of snow, and the driver ah, she was a lady, tall and slender and dazzlingly white!” Gerda’s dear friend Kay is kidnapped by the Snow Queen and held in her palace, where “the walls were of driven snow, and the doors and windows of cutting wind.” Gerda sets out on a treacherous quest to save Kay. Barrett’s watercolor-and-pencil illustrations capture the dreamy, sometimes frightening aspects of Andersen’s brilliant story.

Aylesworth, Jim. The Mitten. illus. by Barbara McClintock. Scholastic, 2009. Ages 3-6. This dynamic duo has produced a lively version of the beloved Ukrainian folktale, in which more and more animals cram into an almost ever-stretching mitten. McClintock’s energetic illustrations created with ink, gouache, and watercolor provide the perfect wintry touch.

da Costa, Deborah. Snow in Jerusalem. illus. by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu. Albert Whitman, 2001. Ages 6-8. Two boys live in Jerusalem, but they have never met. Avi lives in the Jewish Quarter, while Hamudi lives in the Muslim Quarter. To their surprise, they discover they have both been caring for the same stray white cat. The cat knows no boundaries, and leads the boys to friendship — as unexpected as snow in Jerusalem. If you don’t have this book, get it! Children love the story, which provides wonderful opportunities to discuss conflict in the Middle East and the nature of friendship and trust.

Florian, Douglas. Winter Eyes: Poems and Paintings. Greenwillow, 1999. Fun for all in these brief, whimsical poems, enlivened with Florian’s witty paintings.

Photo of a snow crystal by Wilson Bentley

Martin, Jacqueline. Snowflake Bentley. Houghton, 1998. Wilson Bentley of Vermont first discovered how to photograph snow crystals, as described in this modern classic picture-book biography. Also explore the Snowflake Bentley web site to see his astounding photographs such as the one at left.

Stewart, Melissa. Under the Snow. illus. by Constance Rummel Bergum. Peachtree, 2009. Where do the ladybugs go when it’s cold? What about the bees and the centipedes? Stewart explores winter aspects of such habitats as a field, a forest, a pond, and a wetland. Bergum’s watercolor paintings reveal the animals’ world beneath the snow and the world above, where people skate on frozen ponds and deer forage for food. Use this simple informational book to amaze and to enhance winter story times. Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, 2010

Whipple, Laura, ed. A Snowflake Fell: Poems About Winter. illus. by Hatsuki Hori. Barefoot Books, 2003. All ages. This lovely collection of wintry poems by such poets as Nikki Giovanni, Jane Yolen, David McCord, Barbara Juster Esbensen, and Ted Hughes, explores the season in all its dazzling glory. Hori’s evocative pastel and watercolor paintings add to the frosty fun.

Bright Lights, Little Hero

Kimmel, Eric A. When Mindy Saved Hanukkah. Illus. by Barbara McClintock. Scholastic, 1998.

Can children ever get enough of stories with small heroes? Of Kimmel’s many finely crafted picture books, this is one of his best. Mindy and the rest of the pint-sized Klein family live behind the walls of the Eldridge Street Synagogue in New York. When resourceful Papa goes on his quest for a candle they can melt into tiny candles for their menorah, he meets with near-disaster. “A fierce Antiochus of a cat” pounces on him. Leave it to brave little Mindy to save the day! A huge part of the fun of this exciting story is Barbara McClintock’s humorous, detailed ink and watercolor paintings, evoking century-old styles and interesting aspects of the historic synagogue. I can’t imagine a more enjoyable way for children to discover the reasons for Hanukkah.

More Great Hanukkah Read-alouds

Kimmel, Eric. Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. Holiday House, 1994. Hershel of Ostropol arrives at a village where the people can’t celebrate Hanukkah because their synagogue has been overtaken by goblins. Hershel is brave and bright enough to outwit those goblins, though, in this thrilling story brought to life by Trina Schart Hyman’s spooky illustrations, which won a Caldecott Honor.

Krensky, Stephen. Hanukkah at Valley Forge. Illus. by Greg Harlin. Dutton, 2006. Inspired by facts, this quiet, moving story features a young Jewish soldier explaining Hanukkah to George Washington and sharing with him a thirst for freedom. Atmospheric watercolor paintings capture the contrast between the cold Pennsylvania winter and the soldier’s glowing candlelight.

Kroll, Stephen. The Hanukkah Mice. Marshall Cavendish, 2008. A girl’s new dollhouse is the perfect place for a family of mice to celebrate Hanukkah.

Manushkin, Fran. Hooray for Hanukkah! Random House, 2001. “I am bright, but I could be brighter!” Young children will be charmed by this lighthearted Hanukkah story told from the perspective of the menorah.

Polacco, Patricia. Trees of the Dancing Goats. Simon & Schuster, 1996. Based on the author’s childhood, Polacco shows how Trisha and her family prepare to celebrate Hanukkah. When Trisha visits her neighbors, she finds them bedridden with scarlet fever instead of decorating for Christmas. Then Grampa comes up with a surprising way to cheer up their neighbors. The plan involves a lot of work and sacrifice, but it will make for a holiday for all to cherish.

Rosen, Michael J. Elijah’s Angel: A Story of Chanukah and Christmas. Harcourt, 1992. Touching story of a friendship between nine-year-old Michael and the elderly African-American Elijah, who gives the boy one of his carved wooden angels. Should a Jewish child keep such a gift?

Singer, Isaac Bashevis. Power of Light: Eight Stories for Hanukkah. Farrar, 1990. Thoughtful, uplifting stories for children ages 10-14.