[Monday Reading] CYBILS 2016 Finalists for Fiction Picturebooks

Myra here.

It’s Monday, What are You Reading is a meme hosted by Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers (new host of Monday reading: Kathryn T at Book Date). Since two of our friends, Linda from Teacher Dance and Tara from A Teaching Life have been joining this meme for quite awhile now, we thought of joining this warm and inviting community.

This is the first time since 2012 that I am not a part of the CYBILS Fiction Picture Book Second Round Judge. It broke my heart to realize that I was not able to sign up when the call for judges was announced. But c’est la vie. It was my fault for not having been alert enough. The silver lining though is that I get to share my thoughts about the seven finalists for fiction picturebooks even before the winner is announced, normally done on Valentine’s Day. While I loved all the titles here, I will now be ranking them from my least favourite (first here on my list) to my most favourite one (saving the best for last).

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One Day In The Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus Tree

Written by: Daniel Bernstrom Illustrated by: Brendan Wenzel
Published by: Katherine Tegen Books, 2016 ISBN: 006235485X (ISBN13: 9780062354853)
Borrowed from Jurong West Public Library. Book photos taken by me. 

Told in rhyming text, a young, delicious, playful boy was gobbled whole by this sinuous orangey snake “one day in the eucalyptus, eucalyptus tree.”

And this was only at the beginning of the story! Similar to Red Riding Hood and other faery tales, though, the young boy remained alive and quick-witted enough to goad the ravenous snake (from inside its stomach at that) to eat and eat some more.

The cumulative aspect of the tale with its joyful refrain “one day in the eucalyptus, eucalyptus tree” is a time-tested formula that will most likely appeal to many readers. I just wish that it worked for me.

There’s A Bear On My Chair

Written and Illustrated by: Ross Collins
Published by: Nosy Crow, 2015 ISBN: 0857633937
Borrowed from Jurong West Public Library. Book photos taken by me. 

Everything about this book reminded me of my early reader books, those I-Can-Read titles that we paid tribute to early in 2015.

Once again, told in rhyming text, it tells the fun story of a bear who has taken this cute little mouse’s chair.

As the story progresses, the young mouse becomes increasingly frustrated as this Elvis-styled Bear drank tea, coiffed his hair, read the newspaper to Mouse’s hair-pulling annoyance. What the little Mouse did to get even, I shall leave for you to discover. Again, one of the titles that I wish I loved more.

A Hungry Lion Or A Dwindling Assortment Of Animals

Written and Illustrated by: Lucy Ruth Cummins
Published by: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016 ISBN: 1481448897 (ISBN13: 9781481448895) Literary Awards: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Picture Books (2016)
Borrowed from Jurong West Public Library. Book photos taken by me. 

Reminiscent of Jon Klassen’s This Is Not My Hat, it’s a delightful story of a very hungry lion and all his friends who, for some reason (could it be because, well, the lion is… errr… hungry?), are diminishing, dwindling, disappearing from the face of the earth.

I did not foresee that twist, though, in the middle; then another more-foreseeable twist in the end, and before you close the book, yet another one! A really fun book that would make for a wonderful read-aloud.

They All Saw A Cat

Written and Illustrated by: Brendan Wenzel
Published by: Chronicle Books, 2016 ISBN: 1452150133 (ISBN13: 9781452150130) Literary Awards: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Picture Books (2016)
Borrowed from Jurong West Public Library. Book photos taken by me. 

The more I read this book, the more it grows on me. The entire story is an exercise in perspective-taking, with everyone seeing a cat, yet seeing it differently too. Kind of like the story of the blind men and the elephant – how each one perceives something differently while touching the exact same thing.

Whenever I teach qualitative research, I make mention of Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon – the different facets of the same truth as perceived by various individuals perceiving the exact same incident differently. This is a child’s version of that ‘truth’…

… as seen from the worm’s point of view, the dog’s, a child’s, a fish’s – and so on. A clever picturebook that demonstrates how creatures can “see” the exact same thing yet perceive them oh-so-differently.

Ida, Always

Written by: Caron Levis Illustrated by: Charles Santoso
Published by: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2016 ISBN: 1481426400 (ISBN13: 9781481426404) Literary Awards: Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Picture Books (2016)
Bought a copy of the book. Book photos taken by me. 

Oh oh oh. We are reaching my top three titles. I have always said that picturebooks are for everyone – not just three to nine year old kids. I know that publishers, and a lot of well-meaning librarians say otherwise. I’ve even had someone I met at the book club dinner a few weeks back tell me that my reading picturebooks shows that I am reading below my age level – and that picturebooks don’t count when I consider the number of books I’ve read for the year. I know she meant well, and she said it in jest, but it just goes to show how very many people misunderstand or fail to really appreciate the power of a truly remarkable picturebook – and this, here, is one of them.

It is a story of friendship, of love, companionship – and what it is like to lose all that in a painful, and seemingly-overly-drawn heartbeat that lasts forever and then is gone.

The art is gorgeous, and filled with so much light despite the painful theme. Somehow, the reader feels a sense of release and letting go, and the gift of one’s life that is valued and cherished by those closest to us.

The Night Gardener

Written and Illustrated by: The Fan Brothers
Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016 ISBN: 1481439782 (ISBN13: 9781481439787)
Borrowed from Jurong West Public Library. Book photos taken by me. 

This is a story to fall in love with. Told in very sparse text, it reads almost like a wordless picturebook, with such exquisite art that provides tribute to blessed creatures who do things quietly: no noise, no fanfare, just creating beauty without asking for anything in return.

William is this young boy who was smitten by the topiaries that the night gardener does in secret, unseen by prying eyes. I love the look of the night gardener who just seemed so calm, collected, and so together – walking around town, building beauty from trees and leaves.

It reminded me just a little bit of Chris Van Allsburg’s The Stranger, especially with the hauntingly-real art of The Fan Brothers. But it also had a feel of Mark Ludy’s The Flower Man which, by the way, you should definitely find and read if you haven’t already.

Strictly No Elephants

Written by: Lisa Mantchev Illustrated by: Taeeun Yoo
Published by: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2015 ISBN: 1481416472 (ISBN13: 9781481416474)
Borrowed from Jurong West Public Library. Book photos taken by me. 

I am crossing all my fingers and toes that this book wins Cybils this year. It has equal parts light-heartedness, readability (oh did I mention the typography? I lovelovelove the typography), and beautiful message without it being heavy-handed.

This young boy was so excited to bring his pet, a beautiful elephant, to the Pet Club Day – and “everyone will be there.” Yet, after carrying him the last few feet, lifting him when he refuses to walk past the cracks in the sidewalk, they see a sign that says “Strictly No Elephants.” For some reason, I was reminded of an unforgettable theatre show I watched in the Philippines And St. Louis Loves Dem Filipinos that highlights the experience of Filipino ethnic groups who were put on display in the 1904 World Trade Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri – and how some US establishments had signs such as No Dogs and No Filipinos allowed. While this story is of course, nothing as heavy-going as that, it is reminiscent of instances when people or creatures are restricted access to some place for some random reason or another.

The plot thickens when this young boy chanced upon this beautiful girl whose skunk was also ostracized by the other pets and their owners in the Pet Club Day.

This is a beautiful tale of friendship, acceptance, and welcoming everyone because, believe it or not, our hearts are big enough for most everyone to come in, if we so desire.