PPBF: Edgar's Second Word

Today's Perfect Picture Book Friday pick

Edgar's Second Word, by Audrey Vernick and Priscilla Burris

Edgar's Second Word

Written Audrey Vernick
Illustrated by Priscilla Burris

Clarion Books, 2014
Ages 4-7


Themes:
Siblings


Opening:
  The books Hazel planned to read to her someday-brother waited on a special shelf.
Every night, she imagined the warm-love weight of him on her lap, and how they'd study each page together.
She read to her bunny, Rodrigo, but it wasn't the same.


Synopsis:
Hazel is excited about the arrival of her new baby brother, but Edgar is not quite what she was expecting. Although he isn't much different than a watermelon, Hazel sits with him and reads to him, awaiting his first word. When Edgar persists in saying his first word as often and as loudly as possible, Hazel tries a variety of tactics to teach her little brother some new vocabulary. In the end, Edgar chooses his own words, and they are music to Hazel's ears.


What I Love:
Audrey Vernick has proven she knows picture books. The story is sweet without being sentimental. The characters are authentic. The story itself flows beautifully through the page turns and ends with an unexpected yet inevitable conclusion. It even includes that extra little ending-after-the-ending.

Her language is superlative. She isn't afraid of words like "conviction" or "desperate" and when the perfect word doesn't exist, Vernick makes her own. She captures the realities of babyhood. Edgar experiences "tired-baby gravity" at bedtime when he becomes "as weighty as two Edgars." Edgar acts like a real baby. And her humor is kid-friendly, read-aloud gold:

Edgar didn't speak.

Mostly, he pointed.

And grunted. 

Like a pointing, grunting watermelon. 


Bonus: 

Specialized sibling tees available
from Purple Aspen Kids on Etsy

1. Kids Health lists some great ways to prepare your child for a new baby in the house.

2. Web MD has posted milestones for infant speech development.

3. Try teaching your baby a second language as well as a first. Basic signs and tips can be found on Baby Sign Language, a language I think all Americans should know. If you're hesitant, Baby Center has posted 5 myths about raising bilingual children.

4. Audrey Vernick offers 7 tips for writers in an interview on The Written Word.

5. Sketchables posted a creative Sketch Interview with illustrator Priscilla Burris.

6. Moments A Day suggests parents host a New Sibling Party to help older kids adjust and to make memorable moments. Include terrific sibling-themed books like Too Busy Sleeping, The Swap, or There's Going to Be A Baby.

7. Check out these and more Perfect Picture Books at your local library.


Reviewed by Laura

Reviewed by Stacy

  

Reviewed by Joanne

Reviewed by Carrie

Reviewed by Beth

Reviewed by Tracy

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Perfect Picture Book Friday
for Friday, January 13, 2017, available on Susanna Leonard Hill's blog.

PPBF: Baseball Biography

There's no official Perfect Picture Book Friday today, but I wanted to take the opportunity to introduce a few of the worthwhile picture books I've read this fall.

Today's theme is BASEBALL!

The William Hoy Story,
by Nancy Churnin and Jez Tuya
Also reviewed by Vivian Kirkfield

The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game

Written by Nancy Churnin
Illustrated by Jez Tuya

Albert Whitman & Company, 2016
Ages 5-8, 620L

Themes:
Biography, Disability, Nonfiction,Sports

Opening:
"William Scooped dust to dry the sweat off his slick rubber ball. He stared at the small X he'd chalked on the barn wall. He closed his eyes. He opened them and threw. Bam! He hit the mark. He stepped back so he could try again."

Thoughts:
William Hoy loved playing ball. He was an outstanding athlete. He made it all the way to the major leagues, but when he got there he discovered there was a communication problem. Hoy invented a system of signals for the base coaches and the umpire.
William also happened to be deaf. His hand signals improved game play for both hearing and deaf players, and made it easier for the spectators to see what was happening.

I'm not sure how much of this is urban legend, but William Hoy was a great baseball player, and hand signals did improve the game for everyone. The story points out some of the challenges Hoy faced as well as his accomplishments. The folk-art style compliments the mood of the story. The text is a bit straightforward, but well-organized. Great for classrooms and at home.




The Kid From Diamond Street,
by Audrey Vernick and Steven Salerno
Also reviewed by Beth Anderson

The Kid From Diamond Street Written by Audrey Vernick
Illustrated by Steven Salerno

Clarion, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016
Ages 4-7, 40 pp, 880L

Themes:
Biography, Nonfiction, Sports

Opening:
"Born into a Philadelphia family in 1912, Edith was the youngest of ten kids. Nearly as soon as she could walk, Edith was playing ball with her big brothers and neighbors."

Thoughts:
Edith Houghton started playing professional baseball when she was 10 years old. She practiced hard, traveled the world, and followed her dreams. Sport-a-phobes and baseball fans alike will cheer for this plucky kid from Philadelphia.

I loved this inspiring and empowering peek at the life of a famous teen. The MC feels like an authentic, yet extraordinary young girl. This book is a great example of using available data to create a flowing story while sticking to the facts. Bouncing text. Fun, animated illustration style.

Queen of the Diamond, by Emily Arnold McCully

Queen of the Diamond: The Lizzie Murphy Story
Written and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully

Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2015
Ages 5-8, 460L

Themes:
Biography, Sports, History, Nonfiction

Opening:
In 1900, baseball was America's national pastime. No other form of entertainment came close. Every boy owned a ball, a glove, and a dream.

Thoughts:
Lizzie Murphy was a better baseball player than most of the boys she knew. Decades before Edith Houghton played on a girls pro team, Lizzie was playing for two different amateur boys' teams, eventually moving to the pros. She played in All-Star games and batted against Satchel Paige. Lizzie didn't just play, she earned a living. A worthwhile biography with jaunty, expressive text and lively illustrations.

Bonus:
Check out these and other Perfect Picture books at your local library.

Reviewed by Kirsten

Reviewed by Maria



Reviewed by Erik

Reviewed by Kirsten

Have you reviewed a Perfect Picture Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!