The East-West House

The East-West House
Noguchi's Childhood in Japan

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Jean Little Library

Lee & Low Books 

(pub. 8.1.2009)  28 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top 

A uthor and illustrator: Christy Hale

    

C haracter: artist Isamu Noguchi

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

"Isamu was a boy of the East and the West. Born in the United States to a Japanese father and Scoth-Irish American mother, Isamu grew up in Japan. From his earliest years he felt the tug of his biracial heritage, never quite fitting in or thinking he belonged. Pleasure came, however, from the natural world... Noguchi created a vast array of innovative sculptures, stage sets, furniture, and public spaces. The East-West House is a tribute to the artistic beginnnings of this pioneering modern sculptor and designer."

T antalizing taste:  

                          

"With the world in his hands his imagination soared. And where emptiness once lived, Isamu created home."

and something more:  

Two of my Bay Area writer friends, Amy Novesky and Amy Gibson suggested the picture book biography, The East-West House, for my blog written and illustrated by another local author, Christy Hale.  Christy's lyrical text and Japanese-inspired illustrations captivated me as I learned about Noguchi's childhood and the influences which contributed to his beautiful sculptures.

I've always been fascinated that Noguchi collaborated with the modern dancer pioneer, Martha Graham, and designed theater sets for her performances.  I liked what Christy says in the back matter: Noguchi's sets "allowed dancers and objects to move freely through space. Noguchi came to think of sculpture as more than just static, three-dimensional objects. His sculptures expressed movement. They presented different views and changing patterns of light and shadow, and gave space a sense of depth."  The perfect type of setting for modern dance!

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Around the World on Eighty Legs

Around the World on Eighty Legs:
Animal Poems

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Apple With Many Seeds

Scholastic Press

(pub. 3.1.2011)  56 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Amy Gibson
     and illustrator:  Daniel Salmieri

C haracters: animals from around the world

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

"Pack your bags and put on your travelin' shoes ... There's an animal adventure waiting for you!  Awake with the howler monkeys, twist into a pretzel like a quetzal, hang with a sloth, be willy-nilly like a chinchilla.

Squawk with an auk, bump your rump like a camel, be silly with a bilby, and drift off to sleep in the deep of the outback.

Fun-filled and fact-packed, Around the World on Eighty Legs is the ticket to an unforgettable adventure!"

T antalizing taste:
                          WEDDELL SEAL

                          

                          "The Weddell seal's

                           a poor landlubber,

                          lumbering under

                          all that blubber.

                          But in the sea,

                          the joke's on you -

                          He's toasty warm.

                          You're turning blue."

and something more:   I met the wonderful children's book author, Amy Gibson, this past weekend at the northern California SCBWI Fall Conference held at Mills College. Amy and I were on a panel together, and the other terrific speakers included agent Deborah Warren (East/West Literary Agency), editor Andrea Welch (Beach Lane Books), senior editor Schuyler Hooke (Random House Books), agent Paul Rodeen (Rodeen Literary Management), and children's book authors Deborah Lee Rose, Eric Elfman, Nikki Smith, Naheed Hasnat, Rose Cooper, and Diana Greenwood. 
     Amy spoke about the road to the publication of this fun and informative picture book, Around the World on Eighty Legs. And thank goodness the book was published because kids, families, teachers and librarians will love this "trip around the world."
     The "Menagerie of Facts" at the back of the book is filled with intriguing information about all the animals.  I loved these facts about the Weddell seal -- "Weddell seals spend lots of time beneath the ice, diving over 2,000 feet and holding their breath for over an hour. They look like they're smiling. Perhaps they are ..."  Of course, I had to search for Google images of the Weddell seals ... and they DO look like they are smiling!

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Odetta

The Queen of Folk

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Practically Paradise

Scholastic House
(pub. 12.1.2010)  40 pages

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top
  
A uthor of the idea and Illustrator: Stephen Alcorn

      and Poem: Samantha Thornhill 

C haracter: Odetta

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

        "Born in Birmingham, Alabama, this child soon learned to make a whole heap of noise on her auntie's piano. Then she discovered her own instrument - a voice full of brass and thunder! And, oh, did she have songs to sing - spirituals gospel, and work songs. With the help of Baby her guitar, Odetta blazed a musical trail for a generation of folksingers. Her life and times are presented here in a poetic narrative embellished with luminous paintings that create a loving tribute to folk music's queen."

 

T antalizing taste:

       "Odetta found freedom by accident the day she opened her mouth, then closed her eyes and sang. For once she saw no color. That's when she shook hands with Harmony!"

and something more: "Ode to Odetta" at the end of Odetta - The Queen of Folk includes a wonderful photo of Odetta and Stephen Alcorn taken by his wife, Sabina Alcorn.  I was fascinated to learn that "Odetta is the one Bob Dylan credits for his decision (made while still a teenager) to trade in his electric guitar for an acoustic one, thus heralding his entry into the realm of folk music."  What a gift that was to music!

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