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Bookshelf Annotated Bibliography
 Denise Fleming
Author and illustrator Denise Fleming lives in Ohio very near where she was raised. Her love of color was inspired by her mother who filled the house with flowers and being allowed to fool around at her father’s worktable inspired her to make things. In fact, her short biography written for elementary age children is called Maker of Things (Richard C. Owen Publishers, 2002). In it, she tells about what influences her artwork, how she trained, and how she works in her signature dyed and poured paper pulp.
You can also find a lively question-and-answer interview with Denise Fleming in Talking with Artists, Volume Two, compiled and edited by Pat Cummings (Simon and Schuster, l995). In it, she answers such questions as “What is a normal day of work like for you?” and “Where do you get your ideas from?”, and “How did you do your first book?” Find out more about Denise Fleming at her website.
Some of Denise Fleming's books include:
 Alphabet Under Construction (Holt, 2001)
In this alphabet book with enough happening to challenge early elementary school age children as well as delight preschoolers, one energetic little mouse works hard to create an entire alphabet. He Glues the G, Dyes the D, Erases the E, and Okays the O, but uses some challenging verbs to Airbrush the A, Level the L, Tile the T, and Weld the W. Illustrations help young readers figure out what action the verb uses and many tools are shown in action. A “work schedule” at the end of the book, reviews for readers how Mouse spent his month. Adults, and alert kid readers who notice the dedication, can find the three people there who will later celebrate with mouse midway through his projects. Children can have fun making all iterative additions to this list, as well, like Digging the D and Sharing the S. (Ages 4 to 8)
 Pumpkin Eye (Holt, 2001)
Simple rhymed couplets evoke the exciting and anticipatory mood of Halloween night in which "Trick or treat, pounding feet, jack-o'-lanterns line the street." Deep night colors are set off with bright orange pumpkins, yellow hair, and the huge, full harvest moon. Challenging vocabulary ("wretched witches roam the street"..."clacking bones/muffled moans"…) will appeal to independent trick-or-treaters, while younger hand-holders will respond to the slightly scary word choices (tattered, toothless, eerie, hissing, swooping). For word lovers, savor the many “Halloween” words and see if you can add a few ones of your own. The repeated phrase of “pounding feet” conveys the excitement of running from house to house in the night as "Halloween has found our street." It is an invitation to talk about the celebration of Halloween in your neighborhood, or, to make a list of all the costumes you see in the book, and choose your costume for the holiday. Out of the season, try dressing up and trick-or-treating just for fun at the kitchen door. (Ages 4 to 8)
 In the Small, Small Pond (Holt, 1993)
This visit to a small pond covers the waterfront: that is, what animals are on the bank, which ones are under the water, and what they do from summer until fall, and the snow falls. It is partly a life cycle book for sharp observers, an aquatic ecosystem book as birds are looking for food, and an introduction to looking deeply at a single place in nature. Preschoolers and early elementary observers can notice such animals as tadpoles, whirligigs, minnows, dragonflies, geese, herons, swallows, crawdads, raccoons, and muskrats. While zoos feature some of these animals, nearly any neighborhood body of water or stream will have some animals to look for, even of its only evidence of footprints, signs of half-eaten food, or poop pellets. It’s a fine companion to her similar science book, In the Tall, Tall Grass (Holt, l991). (Ages 4 to 8)
Other books written and illustrated by Denise Fleming include:
Time to Sleep (Holt, 1997)
Barnyard Banter (Holt 1994)
Buster (Holt 2003)
Mouse In Lunch (Holt 1992)
Mama Cat Has Three Kittens (Holt 1998)
Jerry Pinkney
Jerry Pinkney has won numerous awards and honors for his many books, including the Caldecott Honor, plus the Coretta Scott King Award and Honor. He lives north of New York City and is father or husband to a family of children’s book people. His wife Gloria, has written several picture book memoirs of her childhood that Jerry Pinkney has illustrated. His daughter-in-law, Andrea Pinkney, has written biographies of Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, and Alvin Ailey, which his son, Brian Pinkney, has illustrated to great acclaim. Jerry works from models, photographs and his memory when he creates his pencil and watercolor illustrations. If you look closely, you can see images he repeats in barnyard scenes or poses. His interest in African American folktales as well as tales from other cultures has provided lucky readers with a wonderful resource.
Find out more about how Jerry Pinkney works, and how he became an illustrator in Pat Cummings’ Talking with Artists (Bradbury Press, 1992) or by clicking here.
Some of Jerry Pinkney’s books include:
 Black Cowboy by Julius Lester (Dial, l998)
Jerry Pinkney worked with his longtime friend to create this poetic story of one of the best known African American cowboys, Bob Lemmons who was also a former slave. Children will be interested to learn of this man whose way of communicating with his horse made him a model for those who work with animals. (Ages 7 to 11)
 John Henry by Julius Lester (Dial, l994)
In another collaboration with Lester, Jerry Pinkney illustrates the famous story of the lengendary African American hero John Henry who had a duel with a steam drill to see who could cut through rock to build a tunnel. Fun to read aloud for Lester’s rousing storyteller language, the book provides readers with plenty to look at in details of the historical period and setting. Families might want to get a CD of the folksong and sing along, as well. (Ages 7 to 11)
 Noah’s Ark (SeaStar, 2002)
The beautiful illustrations for this classic story won Pinkney the Caldecott Medal for 2002. Readers can marvel at the way Noah constructs the arc, page by page, and at Pinkney’s ability to capture the essence of each pair of animals Noah takes aboard. (Ages 4 to 11)
 Minty: A Story of Young Harriet Tubman by Alan Schroeder (Dial, 1996)
While little is known about Harriet Tubman’s childhood, author and illustrator have fashioned a gripping story of young Minty’s fierce sympathy for, and her freeing of trapped muskrats that earns her the ire of the slave owner in 1820. Readers can learn more about Harriet Tubman by reading the author’s note, or doing further research in the library as there are many beautiful picture book biographies available, to accompany this introduction to the Underground Railroad’s most famous “conductor.” (Ages 6 to 10)
 The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Andersen (HarperCollins, l999)
This classic story of the outcast who finally finds his place and himself, is part of Pinkney’s trio of Andersen stories he has retold and illustrated. These stories are over 150 years old, and their original versions are often wordy, melancholy, or sentimental for today’s audience. Pinkney’s shortened retellings provide a chance for parents to expose readers to these stories and perhaps they will want to compare/read the originals of this famous Danish storyteller. Pinkney also illustrated and retold Andersen’s sad but uplifting story of The Little Match Girl (Phyllis Fogelman Books, l999), and set in Morocco the sumptuously illustrated The Nightingale (Phyllis Fogelman Books, 2002). (Ages 5 to 9)
Other books illustrated by Jerry Pinkney:
Goin' Someplace Special by Patricia McKissack (Simon and Schuster, 2001)
Sam the Tiger by Julius Lester (Dial, 1996)
The Talking Eggs by Robert D/ San Souci (Dial, 1989)
Wild Horses by Julius Lester (Dial 1998)
Albidero and the Mischievous Dream by Julius Lester (Phyllis Fogelman/Penguin Putnam 2000)
Vera B. Williams
Vera B. Williams is known for her creation of strong, independent, and loving female characters depicted in a rainbow of colors. Raised in the Depression, Williams tells of her family discovering beauty and joy in simple things, having no-frills but exciting family vacations, and experiencing all sorts of down-to-earth adventures. She says that making up stories and pictures “flexes the muscles of the imagination.” Her work includes picture books for babies as well as elementary age readers, a novel in free verse, and illustrated novels for middle elementary readers.
To read more about this vibrant writer and illustrator, see the entry under her name in Anita Silvey’s Children’s Books and Their Creators (Houghton Mifflin, l995). Also read her interview in Pat Cummings’ Talking With Artists, Volume Two (Simon & Schuster, 1995) to learn more about the way she works, where she gets her ideas, and what a normal working day is like for her.
Some of Vera B. Williams’s books include:
 Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart (Greenwillow, 2001)
Told in a combination of pictures and free verse poetry, this story chronicles the many ways two sisters support each other while their mother works to support them because their father is in prison. In an especially compassionate way, Williams makes understandable the father’s crime of embezzlement to feed his family as he is paying for his crime. The girls and their mother make do with very little but clearly love each other as evidenced by the book’s many actions. Readers will look at others’ hardships differently after discussing this positive, hopeful, and ultimately uplifting story. (Ages 7 to 10)
 Stringbean’s Trip to The Shining Sea, with Jennifer Williams. (Greenwillow, 1988)
Told entirely as if written on post cards, this wonderfully imaginative story traces Stringbean’s trip with his older brother Fred, from the family home in Kansas to the Pacific Ocean. Along the way, he reports on what he is seeing, his dog Potato’s antics, and his growing friendship with Fred. Readers will have fun figuring out where Stringbean and Fred are, admiring the postcards Williams has created (both front and back), and may enjoy creating their own postcards, even if they are only from a trip around the block. Williams told of another journey taken by a girl, her aunt and mother, and her cousin Sam. This one is in the form of a journal kept in a school composition book, Three Days on the River in a Red Canoe (Greenwillow, 1981). (Ages 6 to 10)
 “More More More” Said the Baby (Greenwillow, l990)
Williams, in three short sections, presents three short babies--Little Guy, Little Pumpkin, and Little Bird—and the families who love them. Toddlers and preschoolers will snuggle delightedly against the reader to see how these children are played with, sung to, swooped up, tickled, and rocked by those who love them. Williams provides brightly bordered pictures, each child’s story receiving its own border design to signal a different story. The families are multicultural and of various ages, and variously dressed. Just right for reading aloud both at bedtime or at morning pauses. (Ages 1 to 6)
 A Chair for My Mother (Greenwillow, 1982)
Rosa and her waitress mother, along with her grandmother, save money in a big pickle jar in order to buy something special—a beautiful and comfortable chair the three can all fit in. They need the chair because most of their things have perished in an apartment fire but neighbors help them get started again. And they find a glorious chair, as well. Readers will be sympathetic to Rosa’s loss, the supportive family, and the warmth of the neighbors. Be sure to note and talk about the symbolic tiny pictures facing each larger picture and the borders. Something Special for Me (1983) and Music, Music for Everyone (1984) continue Rosa’s stories. (Ages 6 to 9)
 Scooter (Greenwillow, 1993)
Elana has moved into an apartment building in New York City and is challenged to make friends and get to know her neighborhood. But she has wheels—a cool scooter on which she zips through the neighborhood. The book reflects Vera Williams’ fondness for the city she grew up in. Notice the many pictures that consist of a word written down the page, each letter of which starts something Elana is thinking about. There are lists, great doodly back and white drawings around the margins, and an exuberant character in love with the world. (Ages 7 to 10)
Other books written and illustrated by Vera B. Williams:
It's a Gingerbread House (HarperTrophy, 1996)
Lucky Song (Greenwillow, 1997)
Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe (Greenwillow, 1981)
Cherries and Cherry Pits (Greenwillow, 1986)
Kadir Nelson
Kadir Nelson lives in California and has been an artist almost as long as he can remember. He now works primarily in oil paints and has created work for a variety of clients including magazines such as Sports Illustrated and The New Yorker, and for Dreamworks and Nike.
You can learn more about his work and his books by visiting his website.
Some of Kadir Nelson’s books include:
 Big Jabe by Jerdine Nolan (HarperCollins, 2000)
When young Addy, a house slave, runs afoul of Mr. Plenty, he has the overseer chain her but the magical Big Jabe helps her disappear. Kadir Nelson’s dramatic pictures help convey the hard times of slavery and community strength that conveyed hope to those who wished to “fly away.” Children might recognize this as a tall tale, similar in feeling and theme to others such as stories of Paul Bunyan or John Henry. (Ages 7 to 10)
 Brothers of the Night by Debbie Allen (Dial, l999)
Even if readers don’t know the original Grimm story, “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” this variation will delight them with the high-stepping brothers who escape their daily life by going out at night to dance at the Big Band Ballroom. The dog is blamed until the new housekeeper discovers the truth. Readers will no doubt be high-steppin’ in their play after seeing Nelson’s exuberant renditions of dancing and the author, an actress-choreographer-dancer, knows how to make her words leap and cavort. The story begs to be read aloud. (Ages 7 to 10)
 Dancing in the Wings by Debbie Allen (Dial, 2000)
Tall and gangly, Sassy loves to dance but she is so tall that she trips others up and despairs of ever being a dancer. But she believes in herself and shines when given the chance to star in a dance production. It is a great message to children to persevere and work towards your dreams and is based on part on dancer Debbie Allen’s own experiences. Notice the research Kadir Nelson did to show what dancers do as they exercise, prepare themselves to perform, and then to dance. (Ages 6 to 9)
 Just the Two of Us by Will Smith (Scholastic, 2001)
In rap-style narrative, a father describes his love for his son and all of the wonderful things they do and will do together. The refrain is the well-known song, “Just the Two of Us.” Look for all of the ways this father shows that he loves his son both in the pictures and in the text. And be sure to get a CD and listen to the song so you can sing along. (Ages 4 to 9)
 Under the Christmas Tree by Nikki Grimes (HarperCollins, 2002)
Twenty-three of Nikki Grimes’s original poems are lovingly illustrated by Kadir Nelson, and show African American families participating in the seasonal celebrations in a number of ways. Both the poems and the illustrations evoke emotions - generosity, happiness, wistfulness for past celebrations, and anticipation of the ones to come. The blind sax man, the angel on the tree top, the first big snowfall, and the unopened box, all have their stories to tell in this lovely celebration. The collection invites children to talk about ways their own families celebrate the holiday and perhaps to write their own poem and illustrate it. (Ages 6 to 10)
Other books by Kadir Nelson:
Amistad (Newmarket Press, 1998)
Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee (Simon and Schuster, 2002)
The Real Slam Dunk by Charisse Richarson (Dial, 2005)
Ellington was not a Street by Ntozake Shange (Simon and Schuster, 2004)
Jack Prelutsky
Jack Prelutsky has lived in Albuquerque, Manhattan, and Boston, but is now settled in the Seattle area where he has a frog collection (but not of live ones). A love of geography is present in many of his poems where place names figure prominently. His poems are rollicking, easily memorized, full of word play and surprises, and appeal to a wide audience, with collections for preschoolers and more challenging and hilarious material for older readers. If you are lucky enough to hear him read his poems in person, you will laugh out loud.
You can find out more about Jack Prelutsky here.
Some of Jack Prelutsky’s poetry books include:
 Ride a Purple Pelican, illustrated by Garth Williams (Greenwillow, l986)
From poor potatoes underground who never have a chance to look around to a naughty mouse that eats cheese on the moon, these poems delight preschoolers with tongue-tangling word play and silly situations. Similar poetry selections for the very youngest reader can also be found in his Beneath the Blue Umbrella, also illustrated by Garth Williams (Greenwillow, 1990). (Ages 3 to 8)
 The Dragons Are Singing Tonight, illustrated by Peter Sis (Greenwillow, 1996)
Prelutsky explores the many human facets of dragons from a boy’s watching a dragon’s egg hatch to the consequences of refusing to believe in dragons or trying to make a mechanical one. In addition, a nasty little dragon describes himself while an amiable one explains and another one laments. Prelutsky’s imagination is boundless where imaginary creatures are concerned and he’s explored wizards, witches, yeti and other creatures in his further collaboration with illustrator Sis in Monday’s Trolls (Greenwillow, 1996). (Ages 6 to 10)
 Scranimals, illustrated by Peter Sis (Greenwillow, 2002)Crazily concocted creatures—the Broccolions, the Bananaconda, or the Radishark--inhabit Scranimal Island and are described in Prelutsky’s usual loopy and precise way. Readers may want to see if they can add another friend to the island inhabitants by making up another animal by combining two words and then supplying some silly illustrations to match their invention. (Ages 6 to 10)
 A Pizza the Size of the Sun, illustrated by James Stevenson (Greenwillow, 1996)
James Stevenson’s black line drawings and Prelutsky’s short three to four stanza poems hold their own with the popular poems and illustrations of Shel Silverstein. Silly ones such as knot head who is in danger of being pecked by a woodpecker to the elegant Swami Gourama who predicts the future at least half the time are fun to share aloud and laugh over. Poems about animals, food, family and funny takes on poetry - such as the poem that never ends or the one that can be read backwards are all a part of Prelutsky’s inventive collection. (Ages 5 to 11)
Other books by Jack Prelutsky:
Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast (Greenwillow, 1988)
The New Kid on the Block (Greenwillow, 1984)
It's Raining Pigs and Noodles (Greenwillow, 2000)
Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young (Knopf, 1986)
If Not for the Cat by Ted Rand (Greenwillow, 2004)
Chris Raschka
Born in Pennsylvania, Chris Raschka was raised in Europe and even today has an affinity for a certain style of European illustration that pays less attention to tight frames and borders. “Even as a child, I liked a raw edge to the pen drawing or the paintbrush.” He enjoys working with children and has as one of his goals, bringing to them the power of jazz. He says that another of his goals is “openness to the world and to cultural and racial differences.”
Some of Chris Raschka's books include:
 Charlie Parker Played Be Bop (Orchard, l992)
Raschka gives his readers a sense of the rhythmic jumps and musical sphere of Charlie Parker’s saxophone playing with text that skitters, skips, uses nonsense scat-like phrases. The book’s illustrations capture the raw, immediate, and lively feel of jazz, making readers want to move to the beat. Find a CD of Parker’s music and talk about how the pictures and text suit the music Parker played.
 Yo! Yes? (Orchard, 1993)
The simplest of texts and the most eloquent pictures show two boys, one brown skinned and bold, the other pale skinned and nerdy, who forge a friendship. Ask readers to note how Raschka’s pictures convey the gradual friendship. Two boys, each on his own page, grow closer and closer in the pictures until they share the same page. The text, with large print and 34 words, invites new readers to help out with the reading. Read more about the two boys in Ring! Yo? (Orchard, 2003) as one boy has his half of the conversation and readers are challenged to make up the other boy’s part. (Ages 4 to 8)
 Mysterious Thelonious (Orchard, l995)
As he did for Charlie Parker, Raschka brings alive the piano playing of this jazz great. Note the squares of tones that build the pictures, much as Monk builds variations on a theme. Readers who like these jazz connections can also enjoy John Coltrane’s Giant Steps (Atheneum, 2003), in which Raschka uses a kitten, a box, snowflakes and some raindrops along with color to try to explain to the reader how structure is a part of improvisation and how the parts become greater than the whole. (Ages 4 to 8)
 Wormy Worm (Hyperion, 2000)
As one of the “Thingy Thing” series for babies, Raschka encapsulates the essence of being a worm in a few short pages just right for toddler and preschoolers. Bold lines washed with muted colors make these truly an artful experience, as well. Older siblings might try writing their own essential statements about an animal for the younger ones. Other titles in the series include Lamby Lamb, Moosey Moose, and Sluggy Slug. (Ages 1 to 5)
Other books by Chris Raschka include:
Talk to Me about the Alphabet
Happy to Be Nappy (Hyperion Books for Children, 1999)
A Poke in the I (Candlewick Press, 2001)
Be Boy Buzz
Fishing in the Air, by Sharon Creech (HarperCollins 2000)
Arlene Sardine
John Lithgow
The talented actor, singer, and composer, John Lithgow currently lives in Los Angeles. He has won numerous awards since he starred in the movie, “The World According to Garp.” He continues to act on Broadway, on television, in the movies, and as the voices for cartoon characters, most recently as Lord Farquaart in “Shrek.” His love of music often results in CDs, some of which match the children’s books he’s written while others exist on their own, such as his collection, “Singin’ in the Bathtub,” a compilation of his favorite children’s songs. He frequently tours with an orchestra to entertain.
You can visit John Lithgow at his website.
Some of John Lithgow's books include:
 Remarkable Farkle McBride, illustrated by C.F. Payne (Simon & Schuster 2000)
Lithgow’s first book is a cheer for musical and musical talent. Farkle McBride plays the drums, flute, trombone or violin all with equal success but something is missing.
 Marsupial Sue, illustrated by C. F. Payne (Simon & Schuster, 2000)
Unhappy with being a kangaroo, Sue decides to try out a few other animal behaviors in hope of finding a personality she likes. But it’s hard to climb a tree like a koala and wading in the water like a platypus isn’t pleasing. And trying to bounce around with the wallaby crowd finally convinces Sue that it’s okay to be exactly what she is—a very fine kangaroo. Almost everyone has wished to be different and this may be a chance for children and parents to talk about the unique qualities that make each of us special. (Ages 4 to 8)
I'm a Manatee (Book & CD), illustrated by Ard Hoyt (Simon & Schuster 2003)
 Micawber, illustrated by C. F. Payne (Simon & Schuster, 2000)
Seeing others copying the fine art by old masters in the art museum, a squirrel decides to become an artist himself. (Ages 4 to 8)
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