2017 Wanda Gág Read Aloud Honor Books
The Darkest Dark written by Chris Hadfield and Kate Fillion, illustrated by The Fan
Brothers, and published by Little, Brown Books for
Young Readers, 2016.
This is the tale of how
a young boy’s love of planets and space exploration helps him overcome his fear
of darkness. As a child, Chris Hadfield
was inspired to pursue his own dreams after observing the Apollo 11 moon
landing on television. This experience changed the way Chris perceived the
darkness, and inspired him to become an astronaut and later the first Canadian
Commander of the International Space Station (ISS).
Themes within this book
sparked lots of conversations with children across a wide range of age levels. Younger
readers especially related to the theme of bedtime fear of the dark. The story helped children realize that they
too can overcome their fears. Children commented “I loved the colors and
pictures in this book,” and “I want this book to win a prize, I really, really
liked this book”. Children were
surprised and delighted to learn that the boy in the story really did become an
astronaut.
Chris Hadfield follows
up his two previous books on space exploration and the life of an astronaut
with this children’s book inspired by his own childhood experiences. His books give us a remarkable glimpse into
the day-to-day world of space exploration.
Hadfield’s extensive career as a pilot and astronaut included over 25
Shuttle missions, work as a NASA Scientist and Engineer, and acting as
Commander of the International Space Station. Co-Author Kate Fillion is a bestselling author
and journalist who lives with her family in Toronto.
Illustrators Terry and
Eric Fan have created rich and beautiful images of a young boy wrestling with
his fear of the dark, and of our solar system and the astronauts who explore
it. Through the brother’s use of ink and
graphite mixed with digital art, the images portray the “darkness” of both
settings. (MARILYN LABRENSZ AND LISA
STAIGER)
The
Night Gardener written and illustrated by The Fan Brothers and published by Simon
& Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016.
Grimloch Lane is a gray place until the morning young orphan William
awakens to find that a tree on his street has been sculpted into a giant and
beautiful owl. Each day a tree in the neighborhood become a cat, then a rabbit,
then a parakeet, and finally a dragon.
As a result, this little gray town becomes colorful and full of vitality
and life once again. One night William spots the night gardener and receives a
wonderful topiary lesson from him. Though the night gardener leaves, the town
and William are changed forever.
Children who listened to this book loved it and expressed lots of “oohs”
and “aahs” as they enjoyed the visual discoveries on each new page. The readers
stated that this was a unique book with many hidden details. The prediction
from children and readers is that this book is destined to become a classic.
This is the first picture book for brothers Eric and Terry Fan. The
drawings are a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using highly
textured graphite and deepening digitally colored compositions. The Fan Brothers received their formal art
training at the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto and currently live
in Toronto, Canada. (KATHY VANDER VORST)
What
to Do With a Box written by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Chris Sheban, and published by Creative
Editions, 2016.
This delightfully simple, poetic salute to the wonders of cardboard
boxes is ideally suited to younger readers and evokes fond memories in more
mature readers. Beloved author Jane Yolen’s verse stimulates the imagination
without the sing-songy quality often found in children’s rhymes. Chris Sheban
created the illustrations on real cardboard boxes and incorporated actual
postage stamps, warnings, and tears into the story. The end result is a book
whose text and illustrations combine to create a “total package” (pun
intended).
When reading this book, children love to share their memories of
playing with boxes and develop new ideas for cardboard creativity. While the
book may be simple in text and appearance, the possibilities for the
imagination are endless!
Award-winning author Jane Yolen has written over 300 books and lives
primarily in Massachusetts, although she also owns a house in Scotland, where
she spends time each year. Her books have won numerous awards including a
Caldecott Medal for Owl Moon. Chris Sheban lives in Chicago and has won
multiple honors from the Society of Illustrators. (AMY SOMA)