SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Frog Can Hop
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.lauragehl.com/
CITY: Chevy Chase
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME: SATA 386
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; husband’s name Ryan; has children.
EDUCATION:Yale University, B.A.; Georgetown University, Ph.D.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Teacher at the high-school level; former science researcher; Science Weekly (periodical), former senior science editor. Presenter at schools and libraries.
AVOCATIONS:Biking, walking, hiking, skiing, travel, square dancing, classical music.
MEMBER:Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
AWARDS:Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended selection and Honor Book designation, International Literacy Association, both 2014, both for One Big Pair of Underwear; New York Public Library Best Books selection, 2018, for My Pillow Keeps Moving!
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
A former teacher and science writer, Laura Gehl now entertains and enlightens young children by creating humorous texts for picture books. Her stories include My Pillow Keeps Moving!, Dibs!, Except When They Don’t, The Ninja Club Sleepover, and The Hiking Viking. Gehl shifts her focus to the toddler set in her “Peep and Egg” and “Baby Scientist” board books, while she highlights a talented but overlooked female scientist in her picture-book biography Always Looking Up: Nancy Grace Roman, Astronomer. [open new]Inspired by her young daughter’s difficulties learning to read, and aware of how helpful stories designed for those who struggle can be, Gehl has also written early readers, including the “Cat Collection” series.[suspend new] Praised for their upbeat characters and creative plots, her stories have been brought to life by a range of illustrators, among them Tom Lichtenheld, Sarah Horne, Daniel Wiseman, Joyce Wan, Gareth Lucas, and Fred Blunt.
[resume new]Gehl has credited her father with helping inspire and stimulate her love of science. She told Hilary Margitich of Writer’s Rumpus, “We used to grow bacteria in petri dishes and collect pond water to look at under the microscope. There was a science supply store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that we would go to, and I thought that was the coolest store ever.” In her education, Gehl earned a degree in psychology from Yale and a doctorate in neuroscience from Georgetown. She began her writing career by publishing articles about science in magazines for kids as well as adults. Eventually she transitioned to writing children’s books. She told Margitich, “When I read about a thrilling new scientific breakthrough or discovery, my first thought is … : How can I share this excitement with kids through my writing?”[suspend new]
Gehl launched her popular “Peep and Egg” picture-book series with I’m Not Hatching, which was based on her experiences raising her own four children. “With four kids of my own, I spent many years hearing I’M NOT every day. And by every day, I really mean every minute,” she recalled in an interview for the Tara Lazar website. I’m Not Hatching was followed by I’m Not Trick-or-Treating, I’m Not Taking a Bath, and I’m Not Using the Potty.
A chicken with an unusual talent for organization is the star of I Got a Chicken for My Birthday, and Gehl’s chronicle of the bird’s efforts to fulfill the wish of a doting Abuela is captured in Horne’s colorful images. “This utterly seamless blend of story and art is an ingenious treat for all ages,” asserted a Kirkus Reviews critic in appraising the tale, while Randall Enos quipped in Booklist that Gehl’s “story is … as good as a ticket to an amusement park.”
Illustrated by Christopher Weyant, Gehl’s story in My Pillow Keeps Moving! finds an older man increasingly befuddled as he mistakes a stray dog for a pillow, and then for a variety of other objects, among them a fur collar. “Little readers will delight in being more sharply tuned to events than the confused gentleman,” predicted a Kirkus Reviews contributor, “and will gleefully point out the visual clues.” A junior sleuth faces a more-complex mystery in Juniper Kai: Super Spy, and this youngster’s ability to solve a local mystery will make her “a read-aloud favorite for little supersleuths,” suggested a Kirkus Reviews critic.
Sibling rivalry is Gehl’s focus in Dibs!, as toddler Clancy watches older brother Julian stake claim to all the best things rather than make an attempt to share. When the savvy child masters the same verbal trick—calling dibs” he takes it to such extremes that his aspirations eventually include occupying the White House. Praising the brightly colored illustrations by Marcin Piwowarski, a Kirkus Reviews critic recommended Dibs! by citing the “increasing suspense and silliness” in Gehl’s “simple narration.”
Always Looking Up was inspired by Gehl’s conversation with a friend who works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He “suggested I consider writing about Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, best known for her role in making the Hubble Space Telescope a reality,” she told online interviewer Melissa Stoller. “I started reading everything I could find about Dr. Roman, and I was hooked! She lived quite close to me, and I was able to interview her in person. The best part was that she shared her childhood photographs and memorabilia with me—including a school essay she wrote about Galileo, and another about the moon. Dr. Roman died before Always Looking Up came out, and I regret that she never got to see the gorgeous illustrations. But she did get to approve the final text, and I’m glad she at least knew that lots of kids would get to read about and be inspired by her life.”
Also focusing on science, the “Baby Scientists” board books include Baby Botanist, Baby Oceanographer, Baby Paleontologist, and Baby Astronaut, and are illustrated by Daniel Wiseman. In the first book, a purple-haired toddler shares basic plant facts, while Baby Paleontologist introduces youngsters to dinosaurs and the study of fossil evidence. A toddler space traveler and her owl friend prepare to blast off in Baby Astronaut, while in Baby Oceanographer an infant in flippers takes a dip in the ocean and meets several new friends. Gehl’s “Baby Scientists” books pair simple concepts with “illustrations [that] are uncluttered and engaging,” noted a Kirkus Reviews writer in praise of Baby Astronaut. Writing in the same periodical, another critic noted of Baby Botanist that Gehl’s “simple and straightforward” text pairs with artwork that is “colorful, uncluttered, and humorously engaging.”
In the picture book May Saves the Day, young May runs the Word Saver, Inc. business, where she uses letters to change words to reduce any threats the original word may contain. The bees going to the playground become beets. The snake in the classroom becomes a sneaker. She shuns Stu’s offer to be her sidekick but changes her mind when she sees his skills with a lasso can also fix words. A Kirkus Reviews contributor found it to be “a clever presentation of literacy in action.”
In Happy Llamakkah, a group of llamas and alpacas are spinning dreidels, frying latkes, and lighting candles in preparation for the holidays. The book’s title returns frequently in a rhyming refrain with the festive activities. Who Is a Scientist? meanwhile, showcases fourteen types of scientists from the twenty-first century, using two photos and simple text to describe what they are working on. The types of scientists range from astronomer to neuroscientist and illustrate their varied work environments. A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that the book offers “convincing evidence that readers, too, might become scientists.”
In the picture book Bat Wings! Cat Wings?, Gehl looks at why some animals have certain attributes while others don’t. While a moose has antlers, a goose does not. This comparative approach shows the animals with their iconic attribute and then another animal with it as well, indicating that it is not right. A Kirkus Reviews contributor said that the picture book is “mildly humorous, attractively illustrated.”
In the picture book Apple and Magnolia, Britta is determined to safeguard her favorite types of trees: the apple tree and the magnolia tree. With Nana’s help, the young girl finds a way to keep the magnolia tree’s branches from dropping too much by connecting it to the apple tree. Writing in School Library Journal, Joan Kindig stated: “Beautifully told and illustrated, this book is a gem on many levels.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor queried: “What’s not to love about this endearing and effervescent picture book?”
In The Hiking Viking, Leif is not like his peers. While they prefer more aggressive activities, Leif is content to walk around and admire the countryside. His family tries to get him interested in other things “more appropriate” to his status and culture, but he isn’t interested. When his clan ties another one in a competition, though, it is Leif’s love of nature that helps them win the tie-breaker. Booklist contributor Shelle Rosenfeld claimed: “Couched in a lively, entertaining read, the positive and supportive messages are evident.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor found the volume to be “a neat Nordic tale about the importance of valuing nature—one’s own and the world’s.”
[re-resume new]Gehl introduces magnificent avian life in Odd Birds: Meet Nature’s Weirdest Flock, one of a pair of board books illustrated by Gareth Lucas. From blue feet to giant beaks to bald heads, Gehl points out the birds’ odd features in the text and offers additional facts in the mini–back matter. A Kirkus Reviews writer found Odd Birds to be “filled with some examples of wonderful birds … and narrated in punchy, rhythmic verse.” The reviewer added that the “illuminating facts” make for a “thought-provoking” book. One title in Gehl’s “Cat Collection” series for early readers is Frog Can Hop, in which energetic Frog and lackadaisical Pig are set up for a role reversal. In Booklist, Mary Lanni enjoyed the “silly plot” and called Frog Can Hop an “enjoyable and useful story.”
Chidlren get caught up in Jewish holiday activities in Gehl’s “Ruby Celebrates!” series. The Hanukkah Hunt finds Avital missing her mom, who is away for Hanukkah, but her cousin Ruby sets up an eight-night treasure hunt that ultimately boosts her spirits to the max. Expressing reservations about the book’s focus on gift giving, alongside nods to deeper traditions, a Kirkus Reviews writer suggested that “the ending is satisfying, though a little sappy.” With young Ruby’s wholehearted hosting efforts resulting in a pleasantly imperfect seder in The Not-Quite-Perfect Passover, a Kirkus Reviews writer observed that this “lightweight, mildly humorous tale makes the … point that all will work out well if you simply try your best—a good point.” Ruby returns in The Purim Panic, with little brother Benny’s noisemaker pointing to the solution to the mystery of her missing ruby ring. A Kirkus Reviews contributor admired the “emphasis on the loving interactions” in this “affectionate, expressive depiction of a Jewish family celebration.”
Gehl turns to middle graders with her nonfiction title Climate Warriors: Fourteen Scientists and Fourteen Ways We Can Save Our Planet. After an introduction to the difference between weather and climate and the consequences of climate change, Gehl devotes a chapter to each of fourteen scientists in fields ranging from ecology, economics, and psychology to materials science, urban planning, and cellular agriculture. The scientists’ childhood interests lead into their career work, importance to environmental efforts, and ways young readers can get engaged. Appreciating that Gehl “emphasizes possibility and hope over doom” and provides readers “with a sense that real, positive change is possible,” a Kirkus Reviews writer hailed Climate Warriors as “practical, creative, and empowering.”
Connections with elders are at the center of the picture books Grandpa’s Window and Saving Delicia. Referred to in the first title is the window in Grandpa’s room at the hospital, which looks out over the ocean—as well as the window to the world offered by the drawings granddaughter Daria brings. With Grandpa’s Window sensitively treating Grandpa’s eventual death, a Kirkus Reviews writer called the book “powerful,” offering a “tender … touching window into a child’s mourning process.” In Saving Delicia, young Kari is inspired by elder Otis’s recollection of a time when delicia trees grew everywhere to save up seeds from their town’s one tree’s fruit. Although blight dooms that tree, scientists find a cure, and years later a grown-up Kari tells children how their beloved delicia orchard came about. A Kirkus Reviews writer declared that this “uplifting” story “about hope and how one generation inspires another … may very well plant seeds of inspiration in readers’ minds.”[close new]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September 15, 2014, Maryann Owen, review of One Big Pair of Underwear, p. 60; February 1, 2016, Anita Lock, review of I’m Not Hatching, p. 53; March 1, 2018, Randall Enos, review of I Got a Chicken for My Birthday, p. 54; February 15, 2022, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of The Hiking Viking, p. 53; March 1, 2023, Angela Leeper, review of Climate Warriors: Fourteen Scientists and Fourteen Ways We Can Save Our Planet, p. 44.
Horn Book, September 1, 2014, Robin L. Smith, review of One Big Pair of Underwear, p. 85; September 1, 2016, Sian Gaetano, review of I’m Not Trick-or-Treating, p. 72.
Kirkus Reviews, July 15, 2014, review of One Big Pair of Underwear; December 15, 2014, review of Hare and Tortoise Race across Israel; February 1, 2015, review of And Then Another Sheep Turned Up; November 1, 2015, review of I’m Not Hatching; August 1, 2017, review of Koala Challah; September 1, 2017, review of I’m Not Taking a Bath; December 15, 2017, reviews of My Pillow Keeps Moving! and I’m Not Using the Potty; January 15, 2018, review of I Got a Chicken for My Birthday; August 1, 2018, review of Delivery Bear; March 1, 2019, review of Dibs!; June 15, 2019, review of Baby Astronaut; July 1, 2019, review of Juniper Kai: Super Spy; October 15, 2019, review of Baby Botanist; February 15, 2020, review of Baby Paleontologist; May 15, 2020, review of May Saves the Day; September 1, 2020, review of Happy Llamakkah; July 15, 2021, review of Bat Wings! Cat Wings?; October 1, 2021, review of Who Is a Scientist?; December 1, 2021, review of Apple and Magnolia; December 15, 2021, review of The Hiking Viking; September 1, 2022, review of The Hanukkah Hunt; October 15, 2022, review of Odd Birds: Meet Nature’s Weirdest Flock; November 15, 2022, review of Grandpa’s Window; January 15, 2023, review of The Not-Quite-Perfect Passover; February 1, 2023, review of Climate Warriors; March 15, 2023, review of The Purim Panic; February 15, 2024, review of Saving Delicia.
Publishers Weekly, June 30, 2014, review of One Big Pair of Underwear, p. 61; January 12, 2015, review of And Then Another Sheep Turned Up, p. 63; November 23, 2015, review of I’m Not Hatching, p. 65; August 1, 2016, review of I’m Not Trick-or-Treating, p. 65; August 14, 2017, review of Koala Challah, p. 78; November 13, 2017, review of My Pillow Keeps Moving!, p. 63; January 15, 2018, review of I Got a Chicken for My Birthday, p. 59; April 1, 2019, review of Except When They Don’t, p. 60; February 7, 2022, review of Donut: The Unicorn Who Wants to Fly, p. 62.
School Library Journal, August 1, 2014, Kathleen Kelly, review of One Big Pair of Underwear, p. 71; March 1, 2015, Heidi Estrin, review of Hare and Tortoise Race across Israel, p. 116; February 1, 2016, Amy Nolan, review of I’m Not Hatching, p. 66; September 1, 2016, Robin Sofge, review of I’m Not Trick-or-Treating, p. 110; November 1, 2017, Amelia Jenkins, review of I’m Not Taking a Bath, p. 55; February 1, 2018, Gretchen Hardin, review of I’m Not Using the Potty, p. 52; February 1, 2018, Sarah Webb, review of My Pillow Keeps Moving!, p. 58; January 1, 2022, Joan Kindig, review of Apple and Magnolia, p. 62; November, 2023, Mary Lanni, review of Frog Can Hop, p. 54.
ONLINE
Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, http://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/ (November 6, 2015), Deborah Kalb, author interview; (February 1, 2016) Deborah Kalb, author interview; (October 26, 2017) Deborah Kalb, author interview; (October 13, 2020), Deborah Kalb, author interview.
Laura Gehl website, https://lauragehl.com (April 27, 2024).
Lerner Blog, https://lernerbooks.blog/ (September 1, 2021), author interview.
Lerner Books website, https://lernerbooks.com/ (May 1, 2022), author interview.
Math Is Everywhere, https://kaitlynleannsanchez.com/ (October 28, 2021), Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez, author interview.
Melissa Stoller website, https://www.melissastoller.com/ (December 2, 2019), Melissa Stoller, author interview.
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators website, https://www.scbwi.org/ (May 1, 2022), author profile.
Tara Lazar website, https://taralazar.com (February 29, 2016), author interview.
Writer’s Rumpus, https://writersrumpus.com/ (October 14, 2022), Hilary Margitich, “Interview with Children’s Book Author Laura Gehl.”
Writing for Kids (While Raising Them), https://taralazar.com/ (March 24, 2022), author interview.
Zoobean, https://www.beanstack.com/ (January 26, 2022), author interview.
INTERVIEW WITH CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR LAURA GEHL…AND A GIVEAWAY!
October 14, 2022 Hilary Margitich Book Reviews, Book Reviews - Picture Books, General, Illustrating, Inspiration, Interviews, Interviews - Authors & Illustrators, Publishing, Writing, Writing - Critiquing & Community, Writing - Picture Books, Writing - Tools, Tips & Resources 31 comments
HAPPY OWL-OWEEN, everybody!!!
Yes…yes, I know it’s supposed to be Halloween, but today we are celebrating the launch of Laura Gehl’s brand-new picture book, Happy Owl-oween!: A Halloween Story. It’s about little owlets doing all sorts of adorable things to get in the holiday spirit—picking pumpkins, sipping cider, making costumes, and of course, trick-or-treating!
Look, all I know is that my four-year-old son, Trevor, wants to read this with me EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. and laughs with joy at each rhyming page turn. The beautiful and colorful illustrations by Lydia Nichols set the perfect holiday mood, making this a treat of a book for the preschool crowd, and even pre- preschool crowd. No tricks, I promise.
Actually, I do have one trick up my sleeve…I have Laura Gehl here with us today!
Laura is the author of three dozen or so picture books, board books, and early readers. Many have won awards. In fact, this year alone, Laura has released eight new books (yes, you heard that correctly), including Happy Owl-oween!, You’re My Little Dragon, You’re My Little Unicorn, The Hiking Viking, Apple and Magnolia, Donut: The Unicorn Who Wants to Fly, Who Dug This Hole (a lift-the-flap book!), and Odd Birds.
Hilary Margitich: Laura, welcome to Writers’ Rumpus! Thank you for bringing your Halloween magic to our blog today.
Laura Gehl: Thanks so much for inviting me, Hilary. I’m excited to break out the Halloween candy a little early (dark chocolate peanut butter cups…I hear you calling my name!) and chat about Happy Owl-oween! and more.
HM: Happy Owl-oween! is a perfect book for younger picture book readers. Can you tell me how you approach writing for this curious and impressionable age group? Because it is not as easy as it looks, that much I know!
LG: When I write for this age group, I like to use very few words. This is especially true for books that might be read as bedtime stories, like Happy Owl-oween!, which ends with the owlets going to sleep after a busy night of trick-or-treating and candy-trading. I think my propensity for low word count is because of my experiences with my own four kids at a young age. As a parent, I always wanted bedtime stories that were short (yet satisfying!), so the kids and I could all get to bed. And with a quick story, I could give in to the “read it again, Mommy!” without pushing bedtime too late, so it was a win-win.
Page spread from Happy Owl-oween!
I also like to have a repeated line when I write for younger picture book readers. It’s great fun for younger kids to join in and say (okay, usually shout) that refrain along with the adult reader. Of course, in this book, that repeated line is “Happy Owl-oween!”
HM: In addition to writing board books and picture books, you have expanded into the world of writing early readers. Tell me about what prompted that, and if/how the writing process for those differs for you.
LG: I started writing early readers after my daughter struggled with learning to read. My older kids had learned effortlessly, but it just didn’t click for my daughter. Together, we read every early reader we could get our hands on, and I could see how much of a difference it made for her when she read a book that was designed with emerging readers in mind. And seeing that made me want to contribute to this very important genre.
The best early readers usually have an engaging plot, repetition, simple sentence structure, and a mix of sight words and word families. Writing books that incorporate all of those elements is challenging, but it’s challenging in a good way—like a crossword puzzle or a Sudoku. My next early reader is Dog Can Hide, featuring the same silly cast of characters as the other books in the series. And for any parents out there with kids struggling to learn how to read, I’ll add that my daughter is now a great reader who says being allowed to go to the library every day is the best part of middle school.
HM: You have such an interesting background in the sciences. When did that interest in science start for you, and how has it shaped your writing career?
LG: My interest in science definitely goes back to early childhood, and I have my dad to thank for that. We used to grow bacteria in petri dishes and collect pond water to look at under the microscope. There was a science supply store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that we would go to, and I thought that was the coolest store ever. It was like FAO Schwarz times a million.
Science has had a huge impact on my writing career. My first published writing was in the magazine world, articles about science for kids of all ages (and adults, too). At this point it has been a number of years since I transitioned from magazine work to writing books. But when I read about a thrilling new scientific breakthrough or discovery, my first thought is still the same: How can I share this excitement with kids through my writing?
HM: Laura, you have seriously written and published A LOT of books. You probably get asked this a lot, but what is your secret? Is it writing a lot, writing strategically, etc.? Spill the details for us, please.
LG: Writing a lot is definitely a big part of it. I do write dozens of new drafts each year. I think another important piece of the puzzle, which is related to writing a lot, is to silence your internal editor…at least for a while. I have no problem writing really awful first drafts, and that allows me to write more first drafts. I also have no problem sharing my awful drafts with my critique partners, which allows me to turn some of those awful drafts…eventually…into publishable manuscripts.
HM: Your books have covered so many different topics and genres, from fiction to nonfiction, science to fantasy. Is there a topic or genre you haven’t gotten to work with yet, but would like to?
LG: For a long time, I wanted to write a lift-the-flap book, and I finally did! Who Dug This Hole? came out this year, and the companion book, Who Laid These Eggs?, will come out in 2023. As far as what I haven’t done yet…I’d love to write a heist book, like the spirit of Ocean’s Eleven in kidlit form. And I am intrigued by young chapter books and young graphic novels. Maybe I can write a young graphic novel involving a heist at some point?!
HM: Can you tell me what you are working on next, and where our readers can follow you on social media?
LG: I’m finishing up my first middle-grade nonfiction, Climate Warriors, which will be out in the spring. Climate Warriors introduces readers to fourteen scientists…from an artificial intelligence expert, to a scientist who is growing meat in a lab, to an economist, to a public health researcher…who are attacking the problem of climate change from fourteen very different angles. I hope this book, which also has lots of suggestions for ways kids can help fight climate change, will both inspire and reassure young readers who are concerned about our planet.
I’m on Facebook, Instagram, and twitter @AuthorLauraGehl, and I would love to connect with your readers on those platforms.
Laura, thank you so much for chatting with me today. I love your work and have enjoyed getting to know more about you.
Thank you, Hilary! It was delightful to “chat” with you and your readers. And I didn’t even have to share my peanut butter cups….
To win a copy of Happy Owl-oween!: A Halloween Story, comment on this post! If you share on Facebook or Twitter, you get another entry. Giveaway closes in one week. US and Canada only.
Laura Gehl is the award-winning author of more than thirty picture books, board books, and early readers. Her books have received starred reviews, been featured on state and national reading lists, and been translated into numerous languages. Laura’s books include ONE BIG PAIR OF UNDERWEAR; the PEEP AND EGG series; the BABY SCIENTIST series; ALWAYS LOOKING UP: NANCY GRACE ROMAN, ASTRONOMER; WHO IS A SCIENTIST?; and I GOT A CHICKEN FOR MY BIRTHDAY, among others. She loves reading, ice cream, travel, and hiking in all combinations. Visit Laura online at www.lauragehl.com.
For more Halloween book recommendations from Writers’ Rumpus, click here.
About Me:
Approximately 99% of my brain power goes to thinking about family, friends, books (my own and other people’s), dark chocolate, and ice cream (current favorite flavor: coffee Oreo).
My Past Life:
I have a B.A. in psychology from Yale University and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Georgetown University. Before becoming a full-time children’s book author, I taught high school, did research in a neurobiology lab, and worked as a science writer.
My Official Author Bio:
Laura Gehl is the award-winning author of more than fifty picture books, board books, and early readers including One Big Pair of Underwear (Charlotte Zolotow Highly Commended Title, International Literacy Association Honor Book, Booklist Books for Youth Editors’ Choice); the Peep and Egg series (Parents’ Choice Recommendation, Amazon Editors’ Pick, Children’s Choice Book Award Finalist); My Pillow Keeps Moving (Junior Library Guild selection, New York Public Library Best Books of the year selection); Donut (Junior Library Guild selection, Indie Next List selection, Dolly Parton Imagination Library selection); Odd Birds (Blueberry Honor Book; Cybils Award Finalist; Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year selection; Kirkus Best Books selection) and Apple and Magnolia (Kirkus best book of the year; Cybils Award Finalist; Charter Oak Children’s Book Award nominee; a White Ravens International Children’s and Youth Literature Selection). Laura lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with her husband and four children. She is represented by Erzsi Deàk at Hen&ink Literary.
Some of my favorite books from when I was a kid:
A Birthday For Frances by Russell and Lillian Hoban
The Big Orange Splot by Daniel Pinkwater
The Dark is Rising series by Susan Cooper
The Macdonald Hall series by Gordon Korman
The Anne of Green Gables books by L.M. Montgomery
Two Truths and a Lie:
I have lived on three different continents.
I have been chased by an angry elephant.
I love to shop.
Answer:
The lie is #3. I loathe shopping (except for books and ice cream). The other two are true. I lived in Ecuador and Morocco, and the elephant chase took place in South Africa.
Other Things I like:
Walking anywhere (I walk very fast, which makes people think I know where I am going…but the truth is that I have a terrible sense of direction.)
Travel
Dolphins and whales
Biking
Lima beans (Really! They are delicious!)
Musicals
Pandas
Blue irises and pink tulips
Hiking
Square dancing
Classical music
Garlic
Skiing
Sing-a-longs
Swimming in lakes
Summer watermelon
Trees
Donut: The Unicorn Who Wants to Fly
Laura Gehl, illus. by Andrea Zuill. Random House Studio, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-37625-6
Donut wants to fly, but actually doing so is another matter entirely: despite valiant efforts and a supportive forest friend group, the unicorn remains stubbornly earthbound. Gehl (The Hiking Viking) chronicles these attempts through brief rhyming snippets, as in a sequence in which Donut tries a set of wings that the animal friends fashion from leaves, twigs, and vines: "Donut sails!/ Donut flails!" leads, a page turn later, to "Donut wails!" Finally, the group hits on a winning idea: building a nestlike basket in which the birds can carry the unicorn into the sky (amid what looks like a hot air balloon festival). Given the minimal text, art by Zuill (Regina Is NOT a Little Dinosaur) does a lot of heavy lifting, literally and figuratively, and it excels on both counts: her elegant ink line, enhanced with warm digital color, articulates moments of slapstick, ingenuity, despair, and triumph. Donut is awkward, funny, and sweet, with a big pink nose and a long fringe, and the unicorn's lessons of persistence, kindness, and collaboration land with the lightness of a zephyr. Ages 4-8. Agent (for Gehl and Zuill): Erzsi Deak, Hen&ink. (Apr.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Donut: The Unicorn Who Wants to Fly." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 6, 7 Feb. 2022, pp. 62+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A694283094/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c2e026a3. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Laura Gehl, author
Gareth Lucas, illustrator
Abram Appleseed
c/o Harry N. Abrams
195 Broadway, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10007
www.abramsyoungreaders.com
9781419742231, $8.99, Board Book, 22pp
https://www.amazon.com/Odd-Birds-Natures-Weirdest-Flock/dp/141974223X
Synopsis: "Odd Birds: Meet Nature's Weirdest Flock" by storyteller Laura Gehl and artist Gareth Lucas introduces babies and toddlers to unusual bird species, including the magnificent frigate bird with a bright red throat pouch and the California condor--the largest flying birds in North America!
Gentle rhyming verses provide the comforting repetition that little ones crave, even as their minds are opened to new and fascinating creatures from around the world. At the end of the "Odd Birds", children will find photographs of each bird, along with more detailed factual information.
The eight birds featured are the magnificent frigatebird, blue-footed booby, shoebill stork, ostrich, hoatzin, oilbird, California condor, and burrowing owl.
Critique: An ideal introduction babies and toddlers to eight inherently fascinating birds, this board book edition of "Odd Birds: Meet Nature's Weirdest Flock" is especially recommended to the attention of parents, daycare center and preschool staff, as well as community library board book collections. It should be noted that "Odd Birds: Meet Nature's Weirdest Flock" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $8.09). Also highly recommended is the companion board book "Odd Beasts: Meet Nature's Weirdest Animals" (9781419742224, $8.99, Kindle, $7.99).
Editorial Note #1: Laura Gehl is a former science teacher and the author of more than two dozen books for young readers, including the Baby Scientist board book series, Odd Beasts, Happy Llamakkah!, and Happy Owl-Oween!.
Editorial Note #2: Gareth Lucas is an illustrator and designer living in Essex, England. After studying at the University of Brighton School of Art and Central Saint Martins, he has worked on a variety of projects but enjoys nothing more than illustrating animals, birds, and the natural world.
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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Gehl, Laura. "Odd Birds: Meet Nature's Weirdest Flock." Children's Bookwatch, May 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A707298943/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b52d014f. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Gehl, Laura ODD BIRDS Abrams Appleseed (Children's None) $8.99 6, 14 ISBN: 978-1-4197-4223-1
Who doesn't want to take flight and soar sometimes?
Young ornithologist wannabes or children simply dreaming about taking to the skies would do well to cast their eyes on this thought-provoking, dazzlingly colored little book filled with some examples of wonderful birds with rather unusual physical characteristics and narrated in punchy, rhythmic verse. Readers/listeners will pick up facts about some fascinating avians that possess weird attributes, such as blue feet, baldness, enormous beaks, oversized red pouches, and imperviousness to high temperatures. Here's a tidbit that will really make kids sit up and take notice: The hoatzin smells like poop! In the end, though, the text confronts kids with a fact that will truly give them pause: Since humans don't have beaks or feathers, maybe birds think that we're the odd ones. No surprise, then, that on the cover, a bird with mesmerizingly huge round eyes stares directly out at readers--unwinged us--in wonder. Set against stylized backgrounds, the boldly hued illustrations depict the birds realistically in terms of color, shape, and characteristic. Notably for a board book, there's factual backmatter here: a small color photograph of each bird named in the text along with interesting facts about each one and an explanation of the odd feature mentioned in the book. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A winning mix of illuminating facts and charming artwork--this book definitely isn't for the birds. (Board book. 2-5)
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"Gehl, Laura: ODD BIRDS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A721918162/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8b1b0423. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Gehl, Laura THE HANUKKAH HUNT Whitman (Children's None) $17.99 8, 1 ISBN: 978-0-8075-7175-0
One girl's holiday gets off to a less than twinkling start.
Avital is despondent because her mom's away this Hanukkah. Kindhearted cousin Ruby is determined to boost Avital's spirits and devises a "huge eight-night Hanukkah treasure hunt," at the end of which the family will give Avital a "big, exciting gift." On the first night of Hanukkah and on every night of the holiday thereafter, Ruby gives Avital a rhyming clue to a gift she'll receive. The mostly small items cheer Avital somewhat, but Ruby still isn't sure about the special surprise. A phone call on the seventh night provides just the inspiration she needs. On the final night of Hanukkah, Ruby surprises Avital with the best possible present and receives a terrific, cuddly gift herself. While the ending is satisfying, though a little sappy, some may wonder why no one communicated with Avital's mom via phone or videoconferencing earlier. Hanukkah traditions are mentioned, but some adults may note that Ruby's gesture, while very thoughtful, seems to focus primarily on the holiday's gift-giving aspects. The colorful, cheery illustrations are laden with holiday symbols but are otherwise bland, and characters' faces aren't individualized. Avital, with dark, curly hair and tan skin, appears biracial; her mom is depicted as pale-skinned with red hair, while her dad and infant sister have light-brown skin and dark curls. Ruby and other family members are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A just so-so, treacly Hanukkah story. (note about Hanukkah, instructions for playing dreidel game) (Picture book. 4-8)
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"Gehl, Laura: THE HANUKKAH HUNT." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A715352754/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4fe54392. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Gehl, Laura GRANDPA'S WINDOW Flyaway Books (Children's None) $19.00 3, 14 ISBN: 978-1-947888-40-1
Daria processes her grandfather's death.
"Most of the windows at the hospital [look] out on dull, gray buildings," but Daria's grandpa's window looks out over the ocean. When Daria, a tan-skinned kid with black pigtails, visits, they watch the waves together and talk about what they'll do once Grandpa, who is light-skinned, feels better. Sadly, Grandpa's condition worsens; one day he is "too weak to move to a chair," and later he relies on an oxygen mask. Daria stays by his side, keeping his spirits up. Gehl gently signals Grandpa's death across two wordless spreads: one where Daria's parents (one of whom is tan-skinned with dark hair; the other of whom is light-skinned with brown hair) have a tearful conversation with her; and another where Daria cries herself to sleep, her bedside lamp illuminating a photograph of her and Grandpa. Lugo's poignant images allow adults to choose how they want to describe Grandpa's demise (though backmatter by Dr. Sharie Coombes, a child psychologist, recommends that adults use clear, nonabstract terms). When Daria and her dad go to the hospital to collect Grandpa's belongings, "Daria carrie[s] Grandpa's window"--not a physical one but rather the drawings she created to comfort Grandpa. Offering a tender view of one girl's experience, this powerful picture book shows children that they can feel both heartbreak and ongoing love simultaneously. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A touching window into a child's mourning process. (organizations offering support on grief) (Picture book. 4-7)
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"Gehl, Laura: GRANDPA'S WINDOW." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A726309325/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7c2ade7f. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Gehl, Laura THE NOT-QUITE-PERFECT PASSOVER Whitman (Children's None) $17.99 1, 26 ISBN: 9780807571699
Things don't go as expected at an eagerly anticipated seder.
Dad has good and bad news for Ruby. The good: Their family will host the first seder this year. The bad: Their family will host the first seder. Why is this bad news? Bubbe broke her leg, and hosting is a lot of work. But Ruby can't wait to start. All must be perfect for Bubbe. But little brother Benny messes everything up in his efforts to help--it's his fault the seder won't be perfect, Ruby moans. At one point, Dad points out Ruby's own mistakes, making her even more upset. But eventually, everything gets done, Benny is assigned a doable task to perform at the seder, and the guests arrive. But what's this? Not-quite-perfect surprises occur--and everyone loves them! Bubbe, in a leg cast, even asks Ruby to help her prepare "a not-quite-perfect seder" next year--and Ruby generously credits Benny for the seder's nonperfect success. This lightweight, mildly humorous tale makes the clichéd point that all will work out well if you simply try your best--a good point that feels rushed in the telling. The illustrations are colorful and cheery, but characters' faces are bland and not individualized. Dark-haired Ruby's family seems to be a single-parent household. Ruby and most of the family members are light-skinned; a child seder guest has dark skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not quite perfect by any means but a serviceable Passover story. (note about Passover) (Picture book. 4-7)
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"Gehl, Laura: THE NOT-QUITE-PERFECT PASSOVER." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A733021500/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fc8ca078. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Gehl, Laura CLIMATE WARRIORS Millbrook/Lerner (Children's None) $33.32 4, 4 ISBN: 9781728460406
A group of young, ethnically and geographically diverse scientists share their passions and hopes for Earth's climate future.
Unlike many books on climate change, this one emphasizes possibility and hope over doom. Fourteen scientists from such wide-ranging disciplines as psychology, materials science, urban planning, and cellular agriculture share with readers their particular area of expertise as it relates to climate and how a positive change can be effected. Each chapter highlights one scientist and is laid out in the same way, with a basic intro of the scientist's childhood interests, a photo of the scientist, details on how their work pertains to climate science, and what readers can do to help. Geared toward middle-grade readers, the book simply and effectively introduces key concepts such as feedback loops and computer models. More complicated, potentially unfamiliar words (public policy, cardiovascular disorders) are printed in blue type within the text, which cues readers to find their definitions in a sidebar nearby. The book doesn't overwhelm readers with specifics or too many statistics, and it does leave them with a sense that real, positive change is possible. A separate section outlines ways readers can help fight climate change. While the suggestions may not seem that impactful (take shorter showers, write to politicians), the narrative emphasizes over and over the effectiveness of working together to accomplish a goal. People depicted throughout the various photos are diverse.
Practical, creative, and empowering. (glossary, source notes, bibliography, further reading, index, photo credits) (Nonfiction. 7-14)
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"Gehl, Laura: CLIMATE WARRIORS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A735117938/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9c4e1c61. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Climate Warriors: Fourteen Scientists and Fourteen Ways We Can Save Our Planet. By Laura Gehl. Apr. 2023.72p. illus. Lerner/Millbrook, lib. ed., $33.32 (9781728460406). Gr. 4-7.363.738.
A big problem like climate change elicits big questions and answers, and in this informational book, Gehl profiles 14 scientists, aka climate warriors, whose own big questions are helping solve problems associated with climate change. First, the author opens with background information, such as the difference between climate and weather and how humans are causing climate change. Each profile focuses on the scientist's guiding question, research, and possible solutions and offers readers related suggestions on how to save the planet. The featured climate warriors are not only a balanced mix of men and women scientists with racial and ethnic diversity, but they also depict an amazing array of scientific fields, from ecology and materials science to psychology and economics. Natalie Rubio, for example, is a cellular agricultural researcher who's studying how we can grow cultured meat from cells instead of raising animals for meat. Color photos of the scientists in action lend a personal connection to their work, while short profiles of young climate warriors and more strategies to fight climate change close out this approachable resource. --Angela Leeper
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Leeper, Angela. "Climate Warriors: Fourteen Scientists and Fourteen Ways We Can Save Our Planet." Booklist, vol. 119, no. 13, 1 Mar. 2023, p. 44. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A741103677/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=653b9f28. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Climate Warriors
Laura Gehl
Millbrook Press
c/o The Lerner Publishing Group
www.lernerbooks.com
9781728460406, $31.90, Library Binding, 72pp
https://www.amazon.com/Climate-Warriors-Fourteen-Scientists-Planet/dp/1728460409
Synopsis: With the publication of "Climate Warriors: Fourteen Scientists and Fourteen Ways We Can Save Our Planet", author and neuroscientist Laura Ghel introduces young readers to fourteen different scientists, each of whom are working to solve the climate crisis and the surprising ways they are doing it.
Along with explanations of different areas of science and the many ways scientists are working to save the climate, young readers will find tips for how they too can work for change. The purpose of "Climate Warriors" is to inform young readers and gives them the tools they need to make a difference.
"Climate Warriors" introduces young readers to these incredible scientists, the projects they are working on, and what inspired them to choose their fields of study. The principle message is that from ecology to civil engineering, computer modeling to food science, there are a great many ways to combat climate change. Along with explanations of different areas of science and climate solutions, "Climate Warriors" explains what the young reader can do to make a difference.
Critique: Impressively illustrated throughout with full color photos, "Climate Warriors: Fourteen Scientists and Fourteen Ways We Can Save Our Planet" is informatively enhanced with the inclusion of 'How to Write a Letter to the Government', a Glossary, a listing of Source Notes, a Selected Bibliography, a list for Further Reading, and an Index. While available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindle, $9.99), "Climate Warriors" is a solid pick for family, elementary school, and community library Science & Environmental picture book colleges for children ages 9-14.
Editorial Note: A former science teacher with a PhD in neuroscience, Laura Gehl is also an award-winning author of more than three dozen picture books, board books, and early readers including Who Is a Scientist?, I Got a Chicken for My Birthday, Dibs!, and Climate Warriors: Fourteen Scientists and Fourteen Ways to Save our Planet. (https://lauragehl.com)
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Midwest Book Review
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/cbw/index.htm
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"Climate Warriors." Children's Bookwatch, May 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A753206967/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1f863c52. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Gehl, Laura THE PURIM PANIC Whitman (Children's None) $17.99 1, 1 ISBN: 9780807571804
Come celebrate Purim with Ruby and her family.
Ruby, her little brother, Benny, her father, and her grandmother have fun making hamantaschen in several delicious flavors to share with relatives. Bubbe helps Benny make a grogger, a Purim noisemaker. Then Ruby discovers that her very special ruby ring, a Hanukkah gift from Bubbe, is missing, and thorough searches by Dad and other relatives, who have arrived to celebrate, come up empty. Through it all, Benny shouts, "Grogger!" and shakes his noisemaker, irritating an already upset Ruby. But it's time to go to the synagogue for the reading of the megillah. Ruby dresses as Queen Esther, Benny is a lion, and the cousins are all in costumes as well. Groggers are shaken at every mention of Haman's name, with boos thrown in for good measure. Ruby participates, but her heart isn't in it, for the ring is very much on her mind. Finally, the ring is found--as it turns out, the clues to its location have been there all along. Ruby, Benny, their father, and most other family members are dark-haired and tan-skinned; one cousin is slightly darker-skinned. Gehl tells the story simply, with emphasis on the loving interactions of the extended family and their joy in the Jewish traditions of Purim; brightly hued illustrations bring to life Ruby's sadness, frustration, and, finally, relief. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An affectionate, expressive depiction of a Jewish family celebration. (a note about Purim, instructions on making a grogger) (Picture book. 4-8)
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"Gehl, Laura: THE PURIM PANIC." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A740905230/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2dc61c14. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
Gehl, Laura SAVING DELICIA Flyaway Books (Children's None) $19.00 4, 9 ISBN: 9781947888449
Maintaining Earth's biodiversity, one seed at a time.
Young Kari basks in the delicia tree's shade. Old Otis tells her that when he was young, the trees grew everywhere. Kari can't imagine such abundance. Now there's only one delicia tree; every summer, townsfolk share its fruit. After Kari's family finishes their portion, she saves the seeds. She asks Otis about planting them to grow more trees. He explains that a blight destroyed the old ones. There's no cure, so it would kill new plantings, including the remaining tree. Undaunted, Kari develops a "Top Secret Project" to collect seeds and save them in Otis' freezer. Months later, Kari reveals her surprise to Otis, with a sign over the freezer: "Kari and Otis's Seed Bank." He's delighted, but, shortly after, he and the last delicia tree die. The following year, scientists discover a cure for the blight; Kari plants her seeds. The book ends with the adult Kari, sitting in a delicia orchard, regaling kids with stories about her childhood, when there was only one delicia tree. They can't even imagine. This uplifting, economically told tale is about hope and how one generation inspires another; it reassuringly reminds children that they can improve the world. The colorful, appealingly childlike illustrations suit the straightforward narrative. Kari is pale-skinned, Otis is brown-skinned, and background kids are diverse.
This sweet story may very well plant seeds of inspiration in readers' minds. (author's note) (Picture book. 5-8)
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"Gehl, Laura: SAVING DELICIA." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A782202537/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c184d544. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.
GEHL, Laura. Frog Can Hop. illus. by Fred Blunt. 32p. (Ready-to-Read). S. & S./ Simon Spotlight. Dec. 2023. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9781665920438; pap. $4.99. ISBN 9781665920421.
PreS-K--Frog and Pig are two friends who have very different approaches to their days. While Frog is busy shopping, cleaning, and moving, Pig is content to simply flop on the bed or couch and relax. But when the unexpected happens, the two reverse their roles and demonstrate just how enjoyable it can be to step outside of one's comfort zone. This emerging reader text sets fledgling readers up for success from the very first moments. Before the story even begins, readers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the words that will be used in the book, and the word family that is featured inside is highlighted as well. The story uses short, repetitive phrases that correspond directly with the images. These follow a predictable structure, include rhymes, and are straightforward enough to be accessible to new readers. Comprehension questions at the end of the book challenge readers to reflect on what they have just read. Not only does this book build young readers' confidence but it also features comical illustrations and silly plot that will also keep readers engaged as they decode each word. Characters' faces display emotional expressions, and even though the words themselves do not describe everything happening in the story, readers will readily decode the plot points that appear only in the illustrations. VERDICT An enjoyable and useful story to include in library collections for new and emerging readers. --Mary Lanni
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Lanni, Mary. "GEHL, Laura. Frog Can Hop." School Library Journal, vol. 69, no. 11, Nov. 2023, p. 54. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A773080404/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=85e3d7dd. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.