Perfect Square

Take a nice square of colored paper.

Now do something with it!

"What do you mean?",  you ask.           Do you need some ideas?

Check out this colorful picture book for the neatest possibilities for what to do with a square.

Maybe....make a fountain, or a garden, or a park.   Maybe....a bridge, or a river, or a mountain.

Don't think it's possible?

You have got to read this book by St. Paul graphic designer Michael Hall.  It will stretch your imagination.

When Stravinsky Met Nijinsky

This may be my most favorite picture book of 2013 so far (but there are many I haven't looked at yet).  This book tells the story of the ballet The Rite of Spring, composed by Igor Stravinsky and choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky; and first performed in 1913 in Paris.  Using alliteration, onomatopoeia, and other musical language, author (and illustrator) Lauren Stringer, tells the story of the collaboration of these two musicians as they created this famous ballet.  The illustrations reflect the influence of cubism (a new artistic movement in the early 1900's).  Careful study of the illustrations will reveal hints of Matisse and Picasso, as an added treat.  The words and pictures fit together perfectly to make this a very special book.  There will be opportunities to use this in music, art, and language arts classes at the elementary level. An activity guide is available here; and a more detailed curriculum guide from Carnegie Hall can be found here. 

Minnesota's Hidden Alphabet

Look at the natural world around you.  Can you find the letter A in a jumble of tree roots?, the letter I in a cattail?, or the letter O in a bird's nest?  Photographer, Joe Rossi traveled the state of Minnesota in search of all the letters of the alphabet, photographing scenes from Granite Falls to Chippewa National Forest, and from Bemidji to St. Paul.  Read this book to see what he found; and learn about the nature and plants/animals as they are described by David LaRochelle.  The illustrations and text make this much more than a simple alphabet book.  It could be a classroom resource for elementary art and science classes.

My Heart is Like a Zoo

This bright colorful picture book introduces young readers to 20 animals, which have been created from heart-shaped paper.  It also describes in rhyming text, how someone's emotions, especially love, can be different things at different times. For example: eager as a beaver, steady as a yak, etc. This is a first book for graphic designer Michael Hall, and it is a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 2011.  Share this bright, wonderful book with your favorite preschooler.

Alphabeasties, and other amazing types

What's an alphabeastie, you ask? It's an alligator made out of a's, or an elephant made of e's, or a zebra made of z's; and that's just to start. More than just an alphabet book, this is also a fun look at typefaces and fonts, and how with a little artistic enhancement, a letter can become a word. Created by the Minnesota team of Sharon Werner and Sarah Forss, this will make readers think creatively about how letters can be made into other wonderful things.

Minnesota 24/7

(Oh heavens--where is the month of September going?)

Fitting in the category of large print photo album, this book is part of the America 24/7 project that took place in May 2003, and was the largest collaborative digital photography project in history (at least until that year). The Minnesota volume includes 713 photos from 38 photographers that show people, places, and events around the state. It is a great collection of Minnesota scenes, and is very fun to browse.

Lake Street U.S.A.

During the 1990's, Minnesota-born photographer Wing Young Huie took hundreds of pictures along Lake Street in Minneapolis. During this era, neighborhoods along Lake Street were transformed into a multicultural brew of ethnicities. This book is a compilation of 500 of the photos that were used in a large exhibition along Lake Street in 2000. Intended for an adult audience; high school students studying photography as art or sociology will find this an interesting book to browse or pour over as the photos capture their imagination. It was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in the Nature/Minnesota category in 2002.

The Ghost Dance

Let's start with what this book is not--it's not a recitation of historical events related to the Paiute prophet Wovoka and the Ghost Dance, or the massacre at Wounded Knee. Instead, it is a depiction in words and images, of the vision and dream of the Native groups who wanted to save the world of their ancestors. Written by Alice McLerran, accompanied by paintings and art assemblages by Paul Morin, this could be used at several levels, and in several subject areas. It was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 1997.

Chased By the Light

Award-winning nature photographer, and Minnesota native, Jim Brandenburg assigned himself the task of taking only one photograph a day for the ninety days of autumn. The photos were all taken near his home in far northern Minnesota. The resulting collection and book might be of particular interest to teens and young adults who are interested in the art of photography. Jim also created a similar book called Looking for the Summer, which, although he didn't limit himself to one photo a day, is a similar collection of pictures for each day of summer.

Loon Chase

In this story a boy and his mother are canoeing, with their dog Miles swimming along side. Everyone is having a good time until Miles spots a loon and two chicks in the distance and swims after them. The chase ends when the loon rises up, splashing water and flapping its wings to defend its young. End notes and an art activity complete the book. Although the author and illustrator (Jean Diehl and Kathryn Freeman) are from the East coast, the subject is very fitting for Minnesota readers.

Coppe'lia

This is a retelling of the ballet "Coppe'lia done by prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn. It is the story of a dollmaker who schemes to pass his most beautiful doll off as a real girl, but he is outwitted by the townspeople that he tried to deceive. The illustrations by Minnesotans Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher are done in oil, acrylic and fabric on canvas to create very historic looking images. The book was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 1999.

Fold Me a Poem

Readers will watch as a young boy creates a menagerie of creatures of all shapes and sizes from brightly colored paper. With short poems by Kristine O'Connell George, and colorful pictures, featuring origami animals, by Lauren Stringer, this fun book won the Minnesota Book Award in 2006.

Meow Ruff; A Story in Concrete Poetry

This a a story about a friendship that develops between a cat and a dog caught outside in a rainstorm. Beneath the surface, it is more complex as it combines concrete poetry and art to tell the story. Readers will be drawn into the images (made from words) which add much to the basic storyline. Combining poetry from Minnesota author Joyce Sidman, with artwork by Michelle Berg, this is a nice introduction to concrete poetry for younger readers. It was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 2007.

Prairie Train

This is the story of a young girl, who takes her first train ride all alone, traveling from someplace on the prairie out west to St. Paul to visit her grandmother. The story is probably set in the 1930's or 1940's and provides an excellent depiction of train travel. Written by Marsha Wilson Chall, illustrated by John Thompson, this could be used with Minnesota history or transportation units as well as an example of perspective in art classes.

The Girlhood Diary of Wanda Gag, 1908-1909

For readers who are interested in reading more about Wanda Gag, this book might be the place to start. It includes selected entries from Wanda's diary from 1908-1909. The selections are chosen from the longer diary entitled Growing Pains: Diaries and Drawings for the Years 1908-1917, republished by the Minnesota Historical Society in 1984.

Wanda Gag; Storybook Artist

Written by Gwenyth Swain, this biography of Wanda Gag won the Minnesota Book Award in 2006. Gag grew up in New Ulm, Minnesota and is the well-known author and illustrator of the picture book Millions of Cats which was a Newbery honor book in 1929, ABC Bunny a Newbery honor book in 1934, and Nothing at All a Caldecott honor book in 1942. Illustrated with photos and examples of Gag's artwork, this will be of interest to upper grade school students and others who would like to know more about her life. It can also be used by teachers to supplement art lessons or readings of Gag's stories.

Bookworks; Making Books by Hand

Written by Gwenyth Swain, this colorful book is packed with information. In addition to a concise history of bookmaking, it includes directions for a variety of book-related projects for children; from layout and design, to making paper, to different types of bound or folded books, and printing and illustration. The photos feature activities at the Minnesota Center for the Book Arts, and the book won the Minnesota Book Award in 1996. It is a nice resource for teachers who do "book" projects in their classrooms.

The Rising Star of Rusty Nail

Setting: Rusty Nail, Minnesota, a typical small midwestern town where everybody knows your business. Among the motly collection of quirky characters in this story, two stand out, Franny Hansen and Nancy Orilee, both potential piano virtuosos. How can a small town produce and support such talent? Who will be their music teacher? Can they compete on a larger stage? These and other questions will keep readers going as they wait to find out who IS the best. Leslie Blume is the author of this story about big dreams in small town America.