SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Roar for Reading
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://www.andrewjoyner.com.au/
CITY: Strathalbyn, South Australia
STATE:
COUNTRY: Australia
NATIONALITY: Australian
LAST VOLUME: SATA 368
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; married; children: two.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Illustrator and writer. Has worked variously as a receptionist, a fruit picker, a tutor in the English department of Adelaide University, in a record store, and as an editorial illustrator for newspapers and magazines.
AWARDS:Book of the Year, Early Childhood Award, 2014, for The Swap.
WRITINGS
Contributor to periodicals, including School, Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Bulletin, Reader’s Digest, and Rolling Stone.
SIDELIGHTS
Andrew Joyner is an Australian author of children’s books and illustrator. He illustrated his first children’s book, Ursula Dubosarsky’s The Terrible Plop, in 2009 just before turning forty years old. Other books he has illustrated include The Swap, Garcia and Colette Go Exploring, Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm, Duck and Hippo Give Thanks, Nana Says I Will Be Famous One Day, Bear Make Den, and Roar for Reading. Before turning his attention to writing and illustrating children’s books, he worked a number of jobs, including as a fruit picker, a receptionist, a record store sales associate, and an English department tutor at Adelaide University.
In an interview on the Booked Out website, Joyner talked about the things that he is passionate about in life: “Aside from my work and all it involves (drawing, writing, and reading), I love poetry (although I don’t write it), music (although I can’t play an instrument), and food (although I’m a terrible cook).” Joyner also offered advice to aspiring illustrators and authors in an interview on the Kids’ Book Review website, saying: “Finish what you’re doing. Be it a drawing, a piece of writing, or a picture book, it’s only when you finish something—when you go through the whole process—do you really begin to learn how to do it.”
Also writing in the Kids’ Book Review website interview, Joyner explained what a typical day of writing looks like for him. He shared: “I work from home, so I get started around 9 am, once the kids are at school and the sheep and chooks and ducks have been let out and served breakfast. And then I just get on with whatever I need to do that day, be it drawing or writing or both. There’s always some kind of deadline to meet.” Joyner added: “I always finish work at 5 pm—there’s my family to hang out with, and of course sheep and chooks and ducks which now need dinner and locking away. … I really try to avoid working at night (after the kids have gone to bed), but inevitably I do (especially when working on a series—they are lots of work). And I keep the weekends free.”
Joyner shared that his room in his house is where he feels most comfortable writing and illustrating in an interview in the Children’s Book Review website. He mentioned that his room “is yet to earn the title of studio—and especially at the desk which was built for me by my wife’s dad, Lloyd. I love this desk.” In the same interview, Joyner also talked about how growing up in rural Australia served as a big inspiration on his career as a writer and illustrator: “I grew up in Australia in the 70s and 80s, in a small country town on the Murray River, so I grabbed culture wherever I could find it. That happened to be in Punch annuals that my grandfather collected, along with a book he had on the New Yorker magazine, called Here at the New Yorker. The cartoons I saw in those magazines and books had a huge impact upon me.”
In an interview on the Cracking the Cover website, Joyner reflected on how he got his start writing children’s books. He remembered that Ursula Dubosarsky had encouraged her publisher to talk with him about publishing his first book after reading some of the work he had published in magazines. After it was published, he stuck with children’s books. “I just found that I loved it—it’s both the most challenging and most rewarding work I’ve ever done. Plus, I found the more I did the more I wanted to do. Maybe I’m just hoping to get it right one day!” In the Cracking the Cover website interview, he also clarified the process he uses when working on a new book. “I usually start scribbling right on the manuscript. … Sometimes I’ll even write out the manuscript by hand (especially if it’s not too long!), just to get a sense of the story’s rhythm and flow.”
In a separate Cracking the Cover website interview, Joyner shared the joy that he gets from writing and illustrating children’s books. He said that “a picture book is a remarkable and unique invention. Just think of the variety of picture books on any bookstore, home or library shelf, each one containing its own world and story within just 32 pages (or thereabouts) of words and pictures. It still feels slightly miraculous to me when it all comes together in the final book. Plus I do have a sense that what you’re creating is a kind of gift, a story and an experience that you’re giving to the reader.”
Joyner published the “Boris” early readers chapter book series in 2013. The series uses simple text geared toward readers between five and seven years old who are learning to read independent of others. With Boris on the Move, readers are introduced to young warthog Boris, who lives with his parents in Hogg Bay in a van. When the van starts moving, Boris is excited to see all the adventures he can get up to when they arrive at a wildlife refuge. A Kirkus Reviews contributor suggested that “the brief text and a chapter format both make this a manageable and entertaining accomplishment for most young readers.”
In Boris Gets a Lizard, Boris wants to add one more pet to the many pets he already has. His favorite animal is a Komodo dragon, the largest lizard in the world. Before he even has one, though, he has already told all his friends at school that he is getting one. Naturally, they want to see it, forcing Boris to come up with a clever trick to make them think he does have a Komodo dragon. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews called it “a fun romp with an anthropomorphized swine will leave beginning readers ‘hog wild’ at their accomplishments.”
With Boris for the Win, Boris is excited to be competing in the Field Day races. He wants very badly to beat his rival, Eddie, who wins at just about everything he does. Boris’s friend Frederick is also entering the race but always loses. He wants for nothing more than to not finish last this year. When Boris is on the cusp of glory, though, he faces of choice of taking the fame or helping his friend. Reviewing the book on Readings.com, Kathy Kozlowski called this “great” book “a subtly funny and satisfying tale.”
With Boris Sees the Light, Boris is hosting a sleep over in his backyard. He, Alice, and Frederick are camping out and boasting about how brave they are despite how dark the night is. But when a strange light and funny noises catch their attention, they wonder what is causing it. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews insisted that “attractive, slyly humorous illustrations” and “simple text … serve to make this a welcome addition to collections for beginning readers.”
Joyner’s self-illustrated works, The Pink Hat and Stand Up! Speak Up! A Story Inspired by the Climate Change Revolution find the author writing about activism for children. In the former, he tells the story of a knitted hat that an older woman knits for a girl to wear to the Women’s Marches in support of feminism that occurred around the world in 2017. Similar pink hats were worn by other attendees of the marches both in the book and in reality. In an interview with a contributor to the Marchroots website, Joyner explained: “The Women’s March made me feel so hopeful and optimistic, at a time when things had seemed the exact opposite. I hope I captured some of that joyful optimism in The Pink Hat, and that through the illustrations and story a child can sense the March and feminism as something welcoming and nurturing, even if they are too young to fully understand it.” In Stand Up! Speak Up! a young kid joins other children at a protest of climate change. The protagonist is distraught about climate disasters they see on the news and is determined to make a change to save the world. A writer in Kirkus Reviews remarked: “The book is a solid first step in discussing activism with young children.”
Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm, Duck and Hippo Lost and Found, and Duck and Hippo Give Thanks are collaborations between Joyner and author Jonathan London. They star the titular unlikely pair of animal friends. Duck and Hippo interact with other anthropomorphized animals during each story. Joyner discussed creating the first book in an interview with a contributor to the Cracking the Cover website. He stated: “I especially liked the playfulness of Jonathan’s story. … In a way it reminded me of children playing, or of the stories children invent while playing. Also, when I first read the story, I felt like I could see the characters, even if they did take a few drawings to fully appear. And I liked the balance in their relationship, Duck’s yang to Hippo’s yin.” In Duck and Hippo Give Thanks, the pair throws a Thanksgiving feast for their animal friends. Referring to Joyner, a writer in Kirkus Reviews suggested: “His illustrations do nothing to give London’s story any depth.” However, a Publishers Weekly critic asserted: “Joyner’s comedic vignettes convey the odd couple’s tender relationship.”
Other authors with whom Joyner has collaborated include Susan Verde, Ann Stott, and Mo O’Hara. Joyner also illustrated a manuscript written by Dr. Seuss, which was discovered by the writer’s wife, Audrey, after his death. In this manuscript, a horse in a bowtie takes readers through a museum dedicated to horses and art. Lolly Gepson, reviewer in Booklist, commented that the volume would be “excellent for a first visit to an art museum and as a jumping-off point for young artists seeking creative style.” A Kirkus Reviews critic described the book as “a galloping marvel—enlightening and entertaining.”
(open new)With Jonathan London’s The Secret Valentine, Duck leaves Valentine’s Day invitations at Hippo’s, Turtle’s, Pig’s, and Elephant’s houses. They each suspect it was their partner who anonymously left the invitation. Each get ready for the event only to be surprised to see Duck making a grand entrance. A Kirkus Reviews contributor found the picture book to be “lackluster … despite Joyner’s bright and cheery illustrations.”
Joyner help Dr. Seuss’s unfinished manuscript to Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum come to publication after his wife found it. In it, a horse invites readers to visit a museum that depicts how different artists have presented the horse across time. Booklist contributor Gepson insisted that the book is “excellent for a first visit to an art museum and as a jumping-off point for young artists seeking creative style.”
In Mo O’Hara’s The Legend of King Arthur-a-Tops, three dinosaurs aspire to be knights. They attend the Festival of the Stone where triceratops Arthur-a-tops pulls the mythical horn from the stone and becomes king with help from friends. A Kirkus Reviews contributor remarked that “Joyner’s art gives the enterprise the jollity a tale chock-full of knights and terrible lizards deserves.”
Ruby Shamir’s Bunny Figures It Out finds a rabbit on a mission to make a sandwich for lunch. Bunny is upset that nobody is available to help, so she goes to the public library to find out how to make it. A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that “the story and the illustrations are adorable, but the message about the importance of finding trusted sources is simplistic.”
In Love Was Inside, Joyner takes the concept of inside to mean both physical and emotional. A child claims to be inside their house with their belongings and dog. However, the child also acknowledges the feelings they felt deep inside, such as a sadness. A contributor to Publishers Weekly stated: “Deeply empathic and upbeat, this picture book should provide comfort.”
Jane O’Connor’s Good Job, George! recalls when George was a badly behaved toddler. However, as he got bigger, he became more mature and was a good helper. However, when George makes a mistake, he understands that he can own up to it and learn from the experience. A contributor to Publishers Weekly insisted that O’Connor and Joyner base the “story in a loving environment and reassure readers that praise isn’t empty words.”
Beth Ferry’s Roar for Reading offers a prehistory of libraries with a current anti-censorship message. Lions became guardians of libraries to protect the books with their mighty roars. In the present day, a town’s mayor orders a library to cull many books and prevent the lioness from being involved. A young lion cub believes this is wrong and energizes the community with a mighty roar. A contributor to Publishers Weekly observed: “Drawn in thin black lines, Joyner’s digital artwork saves its detailing for character expressions.”
Cressida Gaukroger’s Back to the Storks finds a community so fed up with their babies that they have the storks take them back to wherever they came from. The storks get creative and begin using squealing babies to replace the fire truck sirens. A contributor to Publishers Weekly pointed out that Joyner’s illustrations relate “exhausting chaos through physical humor and exaggerated expressions in this picture of parental exasperation.”(close new)
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, August 1, 2019, Lolly Gepson, review of Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum, p. 49; December 15, 2019, John Peters, review of The Legend of King Arthur-A-Tops, p. 102; August 1, 2019, Lolly Gepson, review of Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum, p. 49.
Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2013, review of Boris on the Move; May 15, 2013, review of Boris Gets a Lizard; September 15, 2013, review of Boris Sees the Light; August 1, 2018, review of Duck and Hippo Give Thanks; October 1, 2018, review of Romeosaurus and Juliet Rex; June 1, 2019, review of Unstoppable Me; July 1, 2019, review of Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum; November 15, 2019, review of The Legend of King Arthur-A-Tops; May 15, 2020, review of Nana Says I Will Be Famous One Day; September 15, 2020, review of Stand Up! Speak Up! A Story Inspired by the Climate Change Revolution; October 1, 2018, review of The Secret Valentine; November 15, 2019, review of The Legend of King Arthur-a-Tops; December 1, 2020, review of Bunny Figures It Out.
Publishers Weekly, September 17, 2018, review of Duck and Hippo Give Thanks, p. 84; June 29, 2020, review of Nana Says I Will Be Famous One Day, p. 63; August 23, 2021, Kirsten Hall, review of Love Was Inside, p. 67; January 3, 2022, review of Good Job, George, p. 41; July 22, 2024, review of Roar for Reading, p. 67; December 16, 2024, review of Back to the Storks, p. 60.
School Library Journal, August 1, 2013, Amy Commers, review of Boris Gets a Lizard, p. 77; July 1, 2013, Elizabeth Switstock, review of Boris on the Move, p. 64.
ONLINE
Andrew Joyner website, https://www.andrewjoyner.com.au (March 8, 2025).
Booked Out, http://bookedout.com.au/ (July 18, 2017), author interview.
Children’s Book Review, https://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/ (February 28, 2017), author interview.
Cracking the Cover, https://www.crackingthecover.com/ (February 27, 2017), author interview; (February 27, 2017), “Duck and Hippo Illustrator Andrew Joyner Embraces Challenges of Kid Lit.”
Kids’ Book Review, http://www.kids-bookreview.com/ (March 15, 2011), author interview; (March 15, 2011), Megan Blandford, review of Boris on the Move andBoris Gets a Lizard; (May 24, 2011), Tania McCartney, review of Boris Sees the Light and Boris for the Win/Ready, Set, Boris.
Marchroots, https://medium.com/ (January 22, 2018), author interview.
Readings.com, https://www.readings.com.au/ (July 4, 2017), Kathy Kozlowski, review of Boris Sees the Light; (July 4, 2017), Kathy Kozlowski, review of Boris Gets a Lizard; (July 4, 2017), Kathy Kozlowski, review of Boris for the Win.
Reading Time, http://readingtime.com.au/ (August 15, 2014), author interview.
School, http://theschoolmagazine.com.au/ (July 18, 2017), author interview.
I'm an Australian illustrator and author of children's books. Some of my titles include Too Many Elephants in this House, written by Ursula Dubosarsky, and The Swap by Jan Ormerod. I’ve also written and illustrated the Boris chapter book series, about a winsome and adventurous warthog. My books are now published in more than twenty-five countries.
My first picture book was The Terrible Plop, written by Ursula Dubosarsky. It was published in 2009, when I was nearly 40 years old. So I did a lot of other things before I got around to making children's books. I was a receptionist, a fruit picker, and a tutor in the English Department of Adelaide University. For many years I worked in a terrific record store called Big Star (a shop named after a band named after a shop), and for even more years I worked as an editorial illustrator for newspapers and magazines like The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Bulletin, Reader's Digest and Rolling Stone.
Somewhere along the way I also started working for The School Magazine, an Australian children’s literary magazine (which had its 100th birthday this year). Ursula saw some of my work in that magazine and recommended me as a possible illustrator for her new rhyming story. So one day in 2007 I had a call from Ursula’s publisher at Penguin, Jane Godwin, asking if I’d like to have a go at illustrating The Terrible Plop. I got the job, and ever since then nearly all of my work has been in children’s books. I feel very fortunate that Ursula and Jane took a chance on me. It means I’ve got to work with both of them on many more books (Jane is also a brilliant children’s book author), as well as many other authors, publishers, editors and designers. So thank you Ursula and Jane . . . and The School Magazine!
I like to draw with soft, dark pencils, or a brush dipped in a puddle of shiny black ink. I then like to play around with these drawings on my computer (or lately, my iPad). Drawing for me is a way of thinking and learning. Each time I do a drawing I feel like I’ve learnt something. Although sometimes it takes me a while to figure out exactly what I've learnt.
When I’m not making books I like to read them, especially poetry books. I don’t mean to be prescriptive, but I think more people should read poetry. Go on, give it a try! Here are a few to get you started: "A Chicken’s Head" by Sarah Day and "It Happens Like This" by James Tate. I'm also very fond of food, music, aimless country drives, and of course, my family. Happily for me, I live with my family in a small country town on the Fleurieu Peninsula in South Australia, in a house filled with delicious food and constant music (my wife is a piano teacher), and surrounded by plenty of winding old roads and byways.
Q&A with Duck and Hippo illustrator Andrew Joyner
Andrew Joyner is an illustrator, author and cartoonist based in South Australia. He has illustrated a number of picture books, and he wrote and illustrated a chapter book series about a warthog named Boris. He has also illustrated for newspapers and magazines, including the Wall Street Journal, Reader’s Digest, and Rolling Stone magazine, among others.
Andrew’s latest book, Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm with author Jonathan London, is out March 1. The following is a complete transcript of Andrew’s interview with Cracking the Cover.
Have you always wanted to be an artist/illustrator?
I’ve always drawn, and at school I was that kid in class who could draw well. But I didn’t really study art or illustration—in fact I stopped studying art at school after grade 10, when I moved from a country high school to a bigger city school. But drawing always stuck with me, and I kept drawing for the school and university paper, for band posters and mainly just for my own amusement. I didn’t even think of pursuing it as a career until I was in my mid-twenties, and even then it seemed more of a whim than a plan. But I was lucky, and I got few illustrations in some magazines, and soon I found myself freelancing full time for newspapers and magazines throughout Australia.
I definitely didn’t plan to become a children’s book illustrator. The author Ursula Dubosarsky saw some of my magazine work, and asked her publisher to approach me about illustrating her latest picture book manuscript. That became my first picture book, The Terrible Plop, and ever since then nearly all of my work is in children’s books. I just found that I loved it—it’s both the most challenging and most rewarding work I’ve ever done. Plus I found the more I did the more I wanted to do. Maybe I’m just hoping to get it right one day!
Duck and Hippo Andrew JoynerYou have worked as an editorial illustrator. How does that kind of work differ from children’s books?
Time is the main difference—editorial deadlines are much tighter. Yet, funnily enough, I find time management much harder with children’s books. With editorial work, often the perfect idea would appear in my mind five minutes after the deadline had passed and the illustration was submitted. So it taught me a certain level of acceptance. Plus newspapers are quite ephemeral. But a children’s book feels permanent, which perhaps creates a certain level of anxiety and self-doubt. Now I sound like I’m analyzing myself!
Although I still take quite a few elements from editorial work and use it in my children’s book illustration. I like to think of editorial work as creating a poster for an idea—the illustration needs to “read” quickly and clearly, to have an immediate impact, and still have that element of surprise and imagination. With children’s book work I’m doing something similar, but in the service of a story.
What is it about children’s books that makes you want to illustrate them?
A picture book is a remarkable and unique invention. Just think of the variety of picture books on any bookstore, home or library shelf, each one containing its own world and story within just 32 pages (or thereabouts) of words and pictures. It still feels slightly miraculous to me when it all comes together in the final book. Plus I do have a sense that what you’re creating is a kind of gift, a story and an experience that you’re giving to the reader.
Duck and Hippo Andrew Joyner
copyright © 2017 Andrew Joyner
What is the first thing you do when you get a new manuscript?
I try to see it as a book, so I usually start scribbling right on the manuscript. Sometimes I’ll even write out the manuscript by hand (especially if it’s not too long!), just to get a sense of the story’s rhythm and flow. There’s something about moving a pencil across paper that helps me think.
What specifically about Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm stood out to you?
It’s hard to pinpoint because I think it comes down to intangible qualities like charm and a lightness of touch, which is something I aim for in my own drawings. But I especially liked the playfulness of Jonathan’s story. In a way it reminded me of children playing, or of the stories children invent while playing. Also when I first read the story, I felt like I could see the characters, even if they did take a few drawings to fully appear. And I liked the balance in their relationship, Duck’s yang to Hippo’s yin.
How did Duck and Hippo’s characters develop?
I started sketching Duck and Hippo while on a holiday in Bali. Maybe it was my relaxed mood, but my very first drawings of Duck and Hippo look pretty close to their final version. That is not usually the case! I did find Hippo easier to draw than Duck. While I wouldn’t call Hippo a self-portrait, I do have some of his cautious personality. And my own appearance is definitely more Hippo than Duck (minus the fetching jacket and bow-tie)!
A lot of the emotion of Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm comes from the illustrations. How much of that comes from the author’s cues and how much comes from your own imagination?
Aside from the story itself, there weren’t many prompts in Jonathan’s manuscript. I did have some excellent early guidance from our editor Marilyn Brigham and art director Merideth Mulroney at Two Lions, especially regarding the different personalities of Duck and Hippo. I do think one skill I have as an illustrator is that I’m quite a good reader—I can read myself and my drawings into the story. Also, once I feel like I’ve captured the characters I can get out of the way and let them tell the story.
Duck and Hippo Andrew Joyner
copyright © 2017 Andrew Joyner
Duck and Hippo Andrew Joyner
copyright © 2017 Andrew Joyner
Do you have a favorite page or spread in Duck and Hippo in the Rainstorm? Why?
I think it’s a series of smaller illustrations of Duck and Hippo, when Duck first tries to share the umbrella with Hippo. I like the gentle slapstick of it (I especially like Hippo’s snout dragging along the ground). When I sketched this page I felt like I’d unlocked something about the characters, and how I wanted to approach Jonathan’s story.
What are you working on now?
I’ve recently finished the second Duck and Hippo book, which will be out in August. I’m currently working on a few Australian books, including a wonderful middle-grade novel about a boy and a kangaroo, written by Ursula Dubosarsky. I’m also illustrating a dinosaur book (with a literary twist!) for HarperCollins US. So, plenty to keep me occupied!
Is there a book from your own childhood that still resonates with you today?
The book I remember most clearly from my childhood is one that I may well have misremembered. In my mind it was a children’s book about Vincent Van Gogh. But in reality it was probably an entry in an illustrated children’s encyclopedia. Either way, I was definitely obsessed with it when I was young, and would read and reread it. So maybe I did always want to be an artist! Unfortunately I can’t find it now—the problem is I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking for. But I still hope to come across it someday.
London, Jonathan THE SECRET VALENTINE Two Lions (Children's Fiction) $17.99 12, 18 ISBN: 978-1-5039-0035-6
Duck is his friends' secret valentine in this latest in the Duck and Hippo series.
When Duck realizes that she doesn't have a valentine on Valentine's Day, she's inspired. Sharp-eyed readers will catch glimpses of Duck as she stealthily leaves party invitations at Hippo's, Turtle's, Pig's, and Elephant's places. Each suspects their own special friend; Hippo and Duck, Turtle and Pig seem to be in relationships, though it's not spelled out in the text. Readers are then privy to the various preparations each friend makes to attend, and there's also some embedded time-telling practice. Excited Hippo brushes his teeth and dons his bow tie at 1:00. Turtle starts walking to the park at 2:00. Pig is bathing at 3:00. An hour later, everyone is surprised to arrive at the same time, but where is Duck? She makes her grand entrance as the secret valentine, presents Hippo with a red rose, and declares, "The best valentines are friends!" The group concurs as they all share the special treats they have brought. London's latest is lackluster. There's little in the way of character development, so those who don't know the series already are not going to know the friends any better--or care to--after finishing this despite Joyner's bright and cheery illustrations.
For fans only. (Picture book. 3-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"London, Jonathan: THE SECRET VALENTINE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2018. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A556118984/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6d3f3ce6. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
* Dr. Seuss's Horse Museum. By Dr. Seuss. Illus. by Andrew Joyner. Sept. 2019. 80p. Random, $18.99 (9780399559129). Gr. 1-4. 709.
This unfinished, hidden gem was first uncovered by Geisels wife, Audrey, in Ted's studio. A publisher's note at the book's end explains how, after his death, she found a box that contained a manuscript and rough pencil sketches for a book titled Horse Museum, possibly written in the 1950s. The text and rough pencil sketches outlined the story and highlighted artists from all cultures. In this finished adaption, Australian illustrator Joyner has referenced Seuss' style with his digitally created pictures and energetic characters. Why the horse, when Seuss was not an avid rider? "A horse is many, many different things to different people and so is art." With a bow-tied horse as narrator, the book invites children and adults to enter a museum to see what artists across the world have done with the horse through the centuries, using line drawing, ceramics, sculpture, weaving, and painting. Art terms and styles (e.g., Impressionism, Expressionism, Surrealism, Cubism, and Abstract) are defined in bold letters and elaborated upon in extensive endnotes. The simple text and large trim allow Joyner to show a wide range of children and adults having fun while visiting an art museum, with some attempting to produce their own versions of a horse--and familiar characters appearing as museum visitors. Excellent for a first visit to an art museum and as a jumping-off point for young artists seeking creative style.--Lolly Gepson
HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Few names es are as recognizable in picture books as Dr. Seuss, and this posthumous offering will have many eager readers.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Gepson, Lolly. "Dr. Seuss's Horse Museum." Booklist, vol. 115, no. 22, 1 Aug. 2019, pp. 49+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A598305280/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3e99a1d7. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
O'Hara, Mo THE LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR-A-TOPS Harper/HarperCollins (Children's Fiction) $17.99 3, 3 ISBN: 978-0-06-265275-1
Arthurian legend takes a trip to the Cretaceous in this rollicking reptilian reinterpretation.
O'Hara and Joyner follow up their Romeosaurus and Juliet Rex (2018) by going farther back in time to the dino days of yore. Three dinosaur squires in training for knighthood attend the Festival of the Stone. There, knights from far and wide attempt to pull a horn from a stone in the hopes of being crowned king or queen if they succeed. All fail until the clumsy-but-plucky triceratops, Arthur-a-tops, manages the deed. Befuddled by the crowd's jeering response, Arthur then accidentally lodges his own front horn into the stone. Fortunately, a little help from his friends helps him become the king everyone deserves. O'Hara peppers the old tale with some nice updates, making Guinevere a "fast and fearless" raptor and squire. And transforming Camelot's cast to dino equivalents is a snap, since all it takes is to add an "o-saur" here or an "a-tops" there. Joyner's art gives the enterprise the jollity a tale chock-full of knights and terrible lizards deserves--until a flaming asteroid appears in the very last scene….
Truly this contains some knights to remember. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"O'Hara, Mo: THE LEGEND OF KING ARTHUR-A-TOPS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A605549511/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1b754667. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Shamir, Ruby BUNNY FIGURES IT OUT Philomel (Children's None) $17.99 2, 9 ISBN: 978-0-593-11528-2
Learn gentle information-gathering skills through jelly-making.
Bunny is a rabbit on a mission: to make a peanut-butter–and–grape-jelly sandwich for lunch. Sadly, the household appears to be out of jelly, and no one can help. Mom is busy with work, so Bunny resolves to make some. But…Bunny’s older brother’s phone search returns shoes instead of jelly; Dad’s understanding is pretty rudimentary; Grandma’s friends quarrel over whose recipe is the correct one; and pal Kitty’s knowledge is guided more by click-bait internet videos than facts. Bunny’s last hope is the public library, where a giraffe librarian directs her to the cookbook section and a reliable answer. The story and the illustrations are adorable, but the message about the importance of finding trusted sources is simplistic. A skillful educator or caregiver may be able to use the story as a springboard for a meaningful conversation about discovering valid info, but it will be an uphill journey. The added (outdated) implication that a library is useful only for paper-based research help is unintended misinformation that should be avoided. Backmatter includes a recipe for making (but not canning) jelly, but there are no further tips on finding trusted sources. It’s a shame because the story had potential. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Cute—but short a few grapes. (Picture book. 6-9)
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"Shamir, Ruby: BUNNY FIGURES IT OUT." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A643410601/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f088f7ab. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Love Was Inside
Andrew Joyner. Random House Studio, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-37518-1
A paper-white child with two long black pigtails looks back on a moment when "everyone was inside." The scenario unfurls with fitting details: "Who was inside? I was inside. I was inside my room with a clock and my dog and a picture of Nan." "Inside" also refers to emotional states: "There were days I felt sad inside," the narrator says, curled up in a chair while weary parents seem to take in news in another room. But the child also feels resilience and love through it all, and confident in the arrival of a joyful day when "everyone would be outside." Joyner (Bunny Figures It Out) punctuates slice-of-life b&w drawings with bright hues that echo those of the protagonist's bedroom quilt; blocks of color that highlight a class meeting online and a cityscape at night, for example, nod to the blanket's pattern. The Covid-19 pandemic is never specifically referenced, and Joyner is careful when using verb tenses--victory is never declared. Deeply empathic and upbeat, this picture book should provide comfort, no matter what the latest news is, with a final page that prompts readers to think about their own "inside" stories. Ages 4-8. Agent: Kirsten Hall. Catbird Productions. (Oct.)
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Hall, Kirsten. "Love Was Inside." Publishers Weekly, vol. 268, no. 34, 23 Aug. 2021, p. 67. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A673950336/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=03039a28. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Good Job, George!
Jane O'Connor, illus. by Andrew Joyner.
Flamingo, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-593-20563-1 We are all capable of growth--just ask former baby and now "big boy" George, portrayed with light brown skin. As a toddler, George pulled the dog's tail and engaged in "throwing food and mushing it on my face"; now, though, he's the "best helper," and even knows how to share in the sandbox. Affirming George's maturity trajectory are his parents, who praise every positive effort with the titular exclamation (his mother "claps so hard her hands must hurt," the child observes). Bur even super helpers can have setbacks, and through a series of ill-considered actions, George wrecks a nearly finished home improvement project, splattering paint on the room, the dog, and himself. This time, Mom and Dad "do not say, 'Good job, George,' and they are not clapping." But the story is quickly buoyed when the protagonist acknowledges his mistake and helps clean up. With warmhearted cartooning and winks at everyday domestic comedy (including a streaking vignette of "baby" George), O'Connor (the Fancy Nancy series) and Joyner (Love Was Inside) ground rheir story in a loving environment and reassure readers that praise isn't empty words; on the contrary, positive reinforcement can help kids strive.to be their best selves. Ages 3-6. (Mar.)
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"Good Job, George!" Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 1, 3 Jan. 2022, p. 41. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A690097897/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=81ea71cc. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Roar for Reading
Beth Ferry, illus. by Andrew Joyner. Simon & Schuster, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-66594-055-9
Using "roar" as both anthem and acronym ("Recognize. Organize. Act. Respect."), Ferry gives librarianship a creaturely prehistory in this picture book with an anti-censorship message. Starting with a "long and curious" history of lions and libraries, an opening myth recounts a time when books were rare and in need of protection from those who could roar. So "lions became the guardians of libraries everywhere. They soon became known as librarians." Fast-forward to contemporary scenes of a bustling library filled with gleeful animal patrons--until the head librarian receives instructions to remove books from the shelves ("controversial," the mayor says when confronted; "banning," the lioness counters). Cub Julius watches the sequence unfold with a "funny feeling" before letting loose an outraged roar that spurs community action. Drawn in thin black lines, Joyner's digital artwork saves its detailing for character expressions, which range from anger to joy as their movement finds its voice. Includes an author's note and "How Can You Roar?" Ages 4-8. (Sept.)
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"Roar for Reading." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 28, 22 July 2024, p. 67. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A803518184/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6bfd11c8. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Back to the Storks
Cressida Gaukroger, illus. by Andrew Joyner. Little Hare, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-76121-187-4
Frustrated by the antics of its resident babies, a community sends mischievous tots "back to the storks" in this over-the-top picture book. It all starts with Otis, a child whose squeal is so loud that it even drives away dogs at the park. "When his mummy and daddy couldn't take it any longer," the child gets packaged up and shipped off, and other parents follow suit with biting and hair-pulling kids. The storks cleverly take advantage of the youths' behaviors by doling out jobs (fire truck siren for loud Otis), and the remorseful parents' return kicks off new familial tensions. Gaukroger's comic storytelling questionably incorporates descriptions of the infants as "good" and "bad," and feels aimed as much at caregivers as kids; Joyner's cartoons, meanwhile, paint a picture of exhausting chaos through physical humor and exaggerated expressions in this picture of parental exasperation. Human characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3 and up. (Mar.)
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"Back to the Storks." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 48, 16 Dec. 2024, p. 60. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A820624870/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ccfcc758. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.