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WORK TITLE: What Can a Mess Make?
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.beejohnson.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: two daughters.
EDUCATION:Attended Savannah College of Art and Design (illustration).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Illustrator and writer. Freelance illustrator for publishing houses and companies including Harper Collins, Macmillan Children’s, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, JW Marriott, NBC Universal, and Warby Parker.
WRITINGS
Contributor of illustrations to periodicals, including Forbes, Guardian, New York Times, Vogue Australia, and Washington Post.
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, July, 2024, Lucinda Whitehurst, review of What Can a Mess Make?, p. 90.
Horn Book, September-October, 2024, Weileen Wang, review of What Can a Mess Make?, p. 51.
Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2024, review of What Can a Mess Make?
ONLINE
Bee Johnson website, https://www.beejohnson.com (February 1, 2025).
Hello!
I’m Bee, an illustrator and picture book maker.
I live in New York with my husband, our two little girls and a beagle named Banjo. I grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and studied illustration at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
For book related inquiries, please contact
Molly O’Neill: molly@rootliterary.com
For all other inquiries, please contact me directly: art@beejohnson.com
Select clients:
Macmillan Children’s
Penguin Random House
Simon & Schuster
Harper Collins
Warby Parker
JW Marriott
The New York Times
The Washington Post
The Guardian
Vogue Australia
NBC Universal
Forbes
What Can a Mess Make?
by Bee Johnson; illus. by the author Primary Holt 48 pp. 8/24 9781250900241 $18.99
Two children create happy messes throughout their imaginative day, with each activity offering a whimsical answer to the question "What can a mess make?" There's potential in each one. "Kitchen clatter. / Milk and juice. / Syrup splatter. / Chocolate mousse" transforms into "a meal for two." "Rubber bands and cardboard box. / Coffee tin and shiny rocks" form instruments for a marching band. Even a quarrel ("A mess can make us scream and shout") leads to a positive resolution ("Timer ticking. / Sorrys swapped"). Johnson's rhythmic and rhyming text celebrates the joy found in spontaneous play and reinforces the message that creativity can often spring from disorder. The energetic illustrations, featuring minimal adult presence, amplify the sense of independent play. Warm red and orange tones infuse the story with a cozy and affectionate atmosphere, making it visually inviting and resonant with the themes of familial love and imaginative exploration. This story is an excellent read-aloud choice for families seeking a narrative that inspires creativity and celebrates sibling bonds. WEILEEN WANG
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Wang, Weileen. "What Can a Mess Make?" The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 100, no. 5, Sept.-Oct. 2024, p. 51. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A809886534/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8f75a568. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
What Can a Mess Make?
By Bee Johnson. Illus. by the author.
Aug. 2024. 48p. Holt, $18.99 (9781250900241). PreS-Gr. 2.
Sometimes it is fine to make a mess, especially if it means you are being creative. Two sisters are having a wonderful time together. Although the kitchen is untidy, they have made a lovely meal. Yes, they have paint on their knees and elbows, but they have produced artistic masterpieces. As they construct musical instruments from recycled materials and pile up furniture and blankets to create a special reading spot, they provide a wealth of ideas for readers to explore. Like most siblings, however, they do not always get along. A broken bracelet causes angry words, and an accidentally dropped platter of food results in less-entertaining messes. The sisters' love shines through as they work out new solutions in this house that looks like a place where creativity is valued. The illustrations include many details to expand on the spare, rhythmic text, giving the girls plenty of materials and space to explore. As these lively girls invite the reader to take part in their marvelous mess, who knows what they might make next?--Lucinda Whitehurst
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Whitehurst, Lucinda. "What Can a Mess Make?" Booklist, vol. 120, no. 21, July 2024, p. 90. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A804616027/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6e26ae5b. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
Johnson, Bee WHAT CAN A MESS MAKE? Henry Holt (Children's None) $18.99 8, 20 ISBN: 9781250900241
Two siblings make messes throughout the day, with sweet and fun results.
Berries and chocolate mousse are a delicious treat for the children, even as they leave syrup spills in their wake, while crumbs from an outdoor tea party become a feast for ants and squirrels. Repurposed boxes, tins, and a hose are transformed into musical instruments, and cushions and blankets turn into a classic pillow fort. Sometimes messes result in treasured items accidentally getting broken and the two siblings squabbling, but things--and bonds--can soon be mended or made into something new. Johnson's rhyming text pairs with homey artwork depicting a rustic setting. As each scenario unfolds, the author/illustrator lists various objects--"magic markers. / Missing caps. / Glue and pom-poms"--before revealing the project the protagonists have been working on. The repetitive ebbing and flowing pattern of the words and the narrative establishes a calming tone that sets up the characters and readers alike for a well-earned bedtime, though the mess doesn't end here: Time for a pillow fight! The eye-catching details in the artwork and the question of what each mess will evolve into keep the book as engaging as it is cozy. Characters present white.
An imaginative snapshot of daily life that elevates domestic messes into a soothing lullaby. (Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Johnson, Bee: WHAT CAN A MESS MAKE?" Kirkus Reviews, 15 June 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A797463230/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=02814fa6. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.