SATA
aENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: A Cat Like That
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: https://nicole-wong.com/
CITY: Fall River
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY:
LAST VOLUME: SATA 214
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in Fall River, MA; married Dan Medeiros; children: one daughter.
EDUCATION:Rhode Island School of Design, B.F.A. (illustration).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Illustrator. Worked designing department-store cases for a watch display company, then at a greeting card company; freelance illustrator for magazines, the educational market, and trade books; sells artwork through Etsy.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
In her career as an illustrator of children’s books, Nicole Wong [open new]first distinguished herself with ink and watercolor paintings, has dabbled in oils and acrylics, and adapted to using digital tools that allow for realistic textures and shading. She was oriented toward a career in the arts early in life by the professions of her parents: her father was a designer and painter, her mother a fashion illustrator and art teacher. By age twelve Wong was illustrating signs and posters for local businesses. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design, and her first professional illustration job was for New Moon magazine in 2000. Over the years she would secure ample freelance work illustrating for magazines and the academic and trade markets.
Seeking to broach the world of children’s books, Wong sent homemade postcards to publishing companies listed in the Artist’s and Graphic Designer’s Market reference. Those efforts yielded her earliest commissions, for Why Are You So Sad? A Child’s Book about Parental Depression and Candy Shop. The former title, along with several of Wong’s later efforts, was issued by Magination Press, the publishing house associated with the American Psychological Association and devoted to raising awareness and spreading sympathy concerning psychological issues. Wong also considers herself a science enthusiast. She has continued to take art courses in methods including collage, photography, and egg tempera painting to keep her creative instincts fresh. She[suspend new] has worked with authors including Jan Wahl, Sonya Terry, Andrea Cheng, Kate Milford, and Jane Yolen.
[resume new]In a Writing and Illustrating piece about her vocation, Wong related: “I once thought I’d make a good anthropologist. I’m a constant observer—nothing is as pleasurable to me as the process of studying, processing, and recording the way people and animals reach out and interact. As an illustrator who loves a good narrative, I collect these details, funny and whimsical notes, and use them as my medium to communicate with and entertain an audience.”[suspend new]
In the artwork for Wahl’s picture book Candy Shop, Wong’s “detailed, mixed-media” images capture the imaginative play of an inner-city boy, according to Kathleen Whalin in School Library Journal. Booklist critic GraceAnne A. DeCandido concluded that the illustrator’s characteristic clear-toned palette and “supple lines support Wahl’s gentle message of comfort and tolerance.”
In “L” Is for Library and “R” Is for Research Wong teams up with Terry to create two concept books that teach library rules and research skills, both from an A-to-Z perspective. The artwork in “L” Is for Library incorporates pastel colors and “details that add interest and humor to the text,” according to School Library Journal contributor Grace Oliff. Research is “charmingly introduced” in “R” Is for Research, according to School Library Journal contributor Maura Bresnahan, and here Wong’s “attractive illustrations” add to the book’s entertaining lesson.
An imaginative little boy discovers that his local playground holds a challenging adventure in Shari Becker’s picture book Maxwell’s Mountain, another work featuring Wong’s art. In Becker’s tale, Maxwell dreams of becoming a mountain climber, and when a steep hill beckons, the boy’s dad teaches him the basic skills he will need to reach his first solo summit. Calling Maxwell’s Mountain a “good, solid story,” Maryann H. Owen added in School Library Journal that Wong’s creative use of perspective captures the essence of the youngster’s challenge. In Booklist John Peters took note of the artist’s “fine-lined, softly textured watercolor” images, while a Kirkus Reviews writer credited Wong’s “elegant” illustrations, “accentuated by hues of mild greens, yellows and blues,” with bringing to life Becker’s “absorbing story of determination and a boy’s growing independence.”
[re-resume new]Cheng is the author of Brushing Mom’s Hair and Only One Year. The former is a middle-grade verse novel—based on the author’s own experiences—about a young teen’s emotional journey while her mother endures a bout of breast cancer. A Kirkus Reviews writer remarked that the “delicate black-and-white sketches that grace each poem” help make Brushing Mom’s Hair “worthy and moving.” In the chapter book Only One Year, nine-year-old Sharon and her sister must adapt when their mother unexpectedly decides to send their little brother to China to live with their grandmother for a year. Robin L. Smith remarked in Horn Book that Wong’s “frequent, homey black-and-white illustrations … add to the young reader’s appreciation of the story.”
Wild Rose’s Weaving, by Ginger Churchill, portrays a nature-loving girl who finally heeds her grandmother’s calls to come learn how to weave when she sees the beautiful rug Grandma made. A Kirkus Reviews writer observed that Wong’s illustrations “appear to be a mix of pen and ink and watercolor, feature simply drawn figures and spare settings,” and “are attractive.” No Year of the Cat is Mary Dodson Wade’s retelling of the origins of the Chinese zodiac and its twelve animal signs, conspicuously not including a cat. A Kirkus Reviews writer affirmed that Wong’s watercolors “offer lovely vistas and appealing portraits,” and the “framing pictures that surround each animal’s narrative are particularly effective, illuminating aspects of their journeys.”
No Monkeys, No Chocolate, by Melissa Stewart, uses a party with chocolate treats as the starting point for an elaboration of the life cycle of the cocoa bean and tree, with munching monkeys playing an essential role. A Kirkus Reviews writer noted that Wong’s “graceful ink-and-watercolor illustrations range from an expansive view of the rain forest to a close-up of aphids.” A bird, ants, and an earthquake help spur the growth of the cherry, acacia, and lotus seeds tracked in Three Lost Seeds, by Stephie Morton. A Kirkus Reviews writer appreciated how Wong “adds visual interest to her scientifically accurate illustrations of flora” by including depictions of Muslim and Asian characters.
New York City’s response to the tragedy of September 11, 2001, is embodied in a resilient pear tree in Ann Magee’s Branches of Hope: The 9/11 Survivor Tree. With the narrative focusing on the experience of a family of three, a Kirkus Reviews noted that the interracial couple and their child effectively “stand in for all New York’s and, indeed, America’s citizens.” While “several somber-colored illustrations capture the disaster,” the reviewer admired how Wong’s artwork otherwise focuses on “bright, uplifting images of hope and recovery” in this “moving … poignant” tribute.
In Kiyoshi’s Walk, a boy wondering where poems come from is ushered by his grandfather on a neighborhood journey where incidental sights, actions, and feelings elicit a series of haiku. In Horn Book, Susan Dove Lempke praised Wong’s digital illustrations as “delicate and precise”: she “uses soft pastels along with grays and browns, employing a variety of perspectives to capture the beauty of a … cityscape.”
Michelle Cusolito is the author of the picture books Flying Deep: Climb Inside Deep-Sea Submersible Alvin and Diving Deep: Using Machines to Explore the Ocean. About Flying Deep, which tells the history of a famous underwater vehicle first launched in 1965, Angela Leeper remarked in Booklist that “the wonder and danger are palpable” in Wong’s digital illustrations. On Diving Deep, Eric Carpenter of Horn Book noted that “double-page spreads allow Wong’s digital art to set the explorers, equipment, and sea life in various ocean habitats.”
With If the Rivers Run Free, Andrea Debbink teaches children about the possibility of “daylighting” rivers that were covered up in the building of cities. In Booklist Carolyn Phelan admired how Wong’s “graceful” illustrations “contrast smoggy, overcrowded cityscapes with peaceful scenes of rivers winding through idyllic landscapes filled with sunlight, warmth, and life.” Reputed author Jane Yolen took inspiration from a quote by renowned forebear Margaret Wise Brown in Quiet as Mud, which celebrates the imaginative peace of mind a young child experiences in silence and solitude outdoors and among family. In view of Yolen’s spare text, a Kirkus Reviews writer proclaimed that Wong’s “pastoral illustrations take the lead” in creating “an idyllic safe space for daydreamers” and “a sweetly surreal alternative point of view.”
A self-assured feline enjoys strolling through an island town on the way to awaiting her owner outside the school in Lester L. Laminack’s A Cat like That. Noting that the “light, beachy” palette aptly evokes “seashore vibes,” a Kirkus Reviews writer declared that Wong’s “tidy, full-bleed digital illustrations use light and shadow deftly, and the canvaslike texture gives the art a timeless feel.”[close new]
Discussing her art on her home page, Wong explained: “I want my paintings to be like fleeting captured moments … , little pieces of narrative that imply a wider story. I prefer to paint on a small and intimate scale that reflects the subjects and these moments, using everything from oil to pen and ink to watercolor. The size of the paintings almost asks the audience to lean in closer to see it all, so they can enter the image and imagine the rest of that story for themselves.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 15, 2004, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of Candy Shop, p. 1449; February 1, 2006, John Peters, review of Maxwell’s Mountain, p. 53; July 1, 2007, Ilene Cooper, review of My Grandpa Had a Stroke, p. 63; May 1, 2018, Angela Leeper, review of Flying Deep: Climb inside Deep-Sea Submersible Alvin, p. 71; July 1, 2023, Carolyn Phelan, review of If the Rivers Run Free, p. 59.
Horn Book, March-April, 2010, Robin L. Smith, review of Only One Year, p. 52; May-June, 2021, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Kiyoshi’s Walk, p. 111; July-August, 2022, Eric Carpenter, review of Diving Deep: Using Machines to Explore the Ocean, p. 142.
Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2005, Shari Becker, review of Maxwell’s Mountain, p. 1318; July 15, 2009, review of Brushing Mom’s Hair; August 15, 2011, review of Wild Rose’s Weaving; November 15, 2012, review of No Year of the Cat; July 15, 2013, review of No Monkeys, No Chocolate; February 15, 2014, review of Ferry Tail; September 1, 2019, review of Three Lost Seeds; April 1, 2021, review of Branches of Hope: The 9/11 Survivor Tree; February 15, 2024, review of Quiet as Mud; November 1, 2024, review of A Cat like That.
Publishers Weekly, January 19, 2004, review of Candy Shop, p. 75; November 24, 2021, review of The Raconteur’s Commonplace Book, p. 86; March 10, 2025, review of The Beat of the Dragon Boat, p. 63.
School Library Journal, March, 2004, Kathleen Wahlin, review of Candy Shop, p. 186; February, 2006, Maryann H. Owen, review of Maxwell’s Mountain, p. 92; August, 2006, Grace Oliff, review of “L” Is for Library, p. 112; June, 2007, Heidi Estrin, review of Always My Grandpa: A Story for Children about Alzheimer’s Disease, p. 123; July, 2007, Maryann H. Owen, review of My Grandpa Had a Stroke, p. 88; September, 2008, Maura Bresnahan, review of “R” Is for Research, p. 164.
ONLINE
Nicole Wong website, https://nicole-wong.com (May 27, 2025).
Writing and Illustrating, https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/ (June 17, 2017), Kathy Temean, “Illustrator Saturday–Nicole Wong.”
Nicole Wong
Nicole Wong has lived her whole life in Fall River, Massachusetts, walking along downtown streets where once a river and eight waterfalls flowed, all demolished and replaced by an interstate highway. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, Nicole has illustrated more than twenty-five books for children, including Kiyoshi’s Walk, Diving Deep, Three Lost Seeds, I’ll Be the Water, and No Year of the Cat. She lives with her husband, their daughter, and their pets.
Nicole Wong
I was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, with both parents in the arts—my dad was a designer and painter, and my mom was a fashion illustrator and art teacher. So when I was a kid I never thought of becoming anything except an illustrator. I drew constantly as a girl—including on the walls behind furniture, where my mom would find drawings years later. I received my first freelance illustration job when I was 12. As I grew up I wanted to learn more, and graduated from RISD with a BFA in illustration. Now, I’m happily a full-time illustrator of children’s books. I continue to live in Fall River with my husband, daughter, mean kitty, and happy, high energy dogs.
Posted by: Kathy Temean | June 17, 2017
Illustrator Saturday – Nicole Wong
Nicole Wong was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, with both parents in the arts — her dad was a designer and painter, and her mom was a fashion illustrator and art teacher. So when she was a kid she never thought of becoming anything except an illustrator. As a girl she drew constantly — including on the walls behind furniture, where her mom would years later find drawings. She received her first freelance illustration job when she was twelve. As she grew up she wanted to learn more, and graduated from RISD with a BFA in illustration. She still takes art classes to explore different media and techniques, like collage, photography, egg tempera painting, and etc. Now, she’s happily a full-time illustrator of magazines, children’s educational, and trade books. She continues to live in Fall River with her husband, Dan Medeiros, our daughter, our sleepy kitty, and two big pups.
Nicole’s Artist Statement:
I once thought I’d make a good anthropologist. I’m a constant observer—nothing is as pleasurable to me as the process of studying, processing, and recording the way people and animals reach out and interact. As an illustrator who loves a good narrative, I collect these details, funny and whimsical notes, and use them as my medium to communicate with and entertain an audience. Animals in particular are wonderful to watch. Spend enough time following them and you find their hours full of small moments of drama, comedy, intrigue, and wonder—all the stuff of great storytelling. I want my paintings to be like fleeting captured moments taken from a larger whole, little pieces of narrative that imply a wider story. I prefer to paint on a small and intimate scale that reflects the subjects and these moments, using everything from oil to pen and ink to watercolor. The size of the paintings almost asks the audience to lean in closer to see it all, so they can enter the image and imagine the rest of that story themselves.
HERE IS NICOLE DISCUSSING HER PROCESS:
Here is a sped up video that shows the start of my project. Procreate automatically creates videos that are easy to export and share. The idea was based on my love of old lithograph city maps and you can see the reference I used in the video. The first picture reference in the video was of the 1877 map of my city, Fall River, MA. I really wanted to base my landscape on it, because of my personal connection to it. I grew up with a copy of it in my childhood home and wanted to make a visual nod to the past. Unfortunately I didn’t think the angle of it worked compositionally so instead I took a picture of my city in google maps and based the landscape off of that.
How-to for the Explorers Illustration
This piece is my first digitally created illustration on my iPad with the Procreate app. It’s the beginning of a new journey with digital art and my new portfolio. I’m creating a series of new paintings based on the months and this one is January, so I thought it was appropriate to have with these little explorers in a hot air balloon starting on a journey. Despite it being a new illustration in a new medium, it’s been a painting I’ve had in my head for a long time, but never really worked when I put it to paper in my more traditional watercolor and ink style, but came so easily when creating it in Procreate.
Balloon –
I created the old fashion hot air balloon and it’s characters first,
mostly because it was fun. And put it on its own layer so I could move
it around the landscape to find its best composition.
Linework –
Next I created the linework with the technical pencil tool in Procreate. I traced the basic architecture of the landscape’s streets and buildings from my reference map, but I changed details where necessary, so I wouldn’t use this map to to find my house. I drew sections of city blocks and copy and pasted and scaled it throughout the landscape. Copy, paste and undo are definitely my friend.
Texture –
I find digital painting a little flat but with a layer of texture over the color layer, it really simulates traditional watercolor painting on paper and makes the digital painting a little richer. I used the Carbon Stick tool on a separate layer and set it to overlay over the color layers.
Color –
I thought it’d be fun to show the color without the linework even though I actually paint with the line shown. It’s a New England winter scene and I wanted the balloon to pop with color so I kept the tones fairly muted. There are a lot of fun brushes to use in Procreate and I believe you can make your own, but personally like the Gouache tool for adding color.
Shading –
I always keep my color shading on a separate layer set to multiply to help darken yet keep the color translucent. I mostly use a blue shade and paint it with the Gouache tool.
Details/snow –
Lastly I added in a light dusting of snow, a little fog for atmosphere with a light touched Spray paint tool over the top of the picture and used the Driven Snow tool for the snow in the sky.
Above: Close up look.
BELOW: Some of Nicole’s book covers.
Interview Questions for Nicole Wong
How long have you been illustrating?
About 17 years. I think my first professional job was for New Moon Magazine in 2000.
What were your favorite classes when you studied art at RISD?
There are a lot of classes that I loved and still influence me, even though it been almost 20 years since I graduated, like children’s book illustration and design class with David Macaulay. I always loved art history, especially Northern Renaissance art history. And I loved animation. I still think about the old Czech films I watched in my History of Animation class. I took an animation class and thought about pursuing it, but at the time, I was a very poor student and probably wouldn’t have been able to budget the extra expenses for that major. But I still love watching animation and try to animate my books through its pacing and visual storytelling.
What was the first thing you did where someone paid you for your artwork?
When I was 12 years old, I used to illustrate signs and posters for local businesses.
Do you think art school influenced your style?
Teachers helped students to explore by looking at art and learning its history. Trying new techniques and taking classes in different departments were highly encouraged. Most importantly we learned how to critique our work.
What type of job did you do after you graduated?
I worked at watch display company and designed the spaces in department store cases to hold watches, despite not having any experience or even knowing that people did this for a living. After that, I worked at a greeting card company and really learned about how to work with art directors and how to manage a deadline.
Did RISD help you get illustration work?
Never directly, but its well-known name might have helped influence some employers to hire me.
When did you decide you wanted to illustrate for children?
I always wanted to be an illustrator, but it probably was in college that I really wanted to focus on children’s books.
Was WHY ARE YOU SAD? your first picture book?
Yes, though I was offered this book and “Candy Shop” around the same time. This one was just published first.
How did that publisher find you to offer you the illustration job?
It was from my first mailing. I sent out homemade postcards to publishers that I found in the Artist’s and Graphic Designer’s Market book.
How many books have you illustrated for Charlesbridge?
I just finished my 4th book with them this week!
Did you sign a contract for more than one book or did they keep coming back to you?
They keep coming back. They’re really great people to work with, so I’m extra thankful!
Do you have an agent? If so who, how long have you been with them and how did you connect?
Yes, I’m represented by Teresa Kietlinski of Bookmark Literary. We met through Etsy, where I have a store to sell artwork. I’ve been with her for almost 5 years, and she’s been fantastic and very supportive. I’m very grateful to have her handle the business details, which I find way less fun.
How many books have you illustrated?
Seventeen trade books and I can’t remember how many educational books. I’ll just say a lot.
Please tell us a little bit about your latest book. What is the title? How did you get the job? How long did it take you to illustrate, etc.
I just finished “Flying Deep” by Michelle Cusolito with Charlesbridge Publishing. It’s about the Human Occupied Vehicle Alvin from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, which explores underwater volcanoes and the amazing and strange life that lives around them along the oceans floor. As a big science enthusiast, I was thrilled to research and illustrate this book. I started my rough sketches in December and I just finished up all the paintings this week, so the job took about 6 months.
Have you started to add digital art to your portfolio?
I’m currently in the process of creating an all digital art portfolio. I’m in a reinvention mode. For years, I created ink and watercolor paintings but with the new technology that simulates painting and drawing so well, I’m absolutely in love with the ease of painting digitally. It’s great to be able to work anywhere, and having an undo button is priceless.
Do you do art exhibits to help people see your work?
I have been a part of a few exhibits over the years, but don’t currently have any upcoming exhibits.
Did you illustrate any book covers when you were starting out?
No, I’ve never done a book cover outside of the covers of the children’s books that I’ve illustrated.
Would you like to write and illustrate a children’s picture book?
I’m not much of a writer, but my husband is and we hope to collaborate on some projects in the future.
Would you be open to illustrating a book for an author who wants to self-publish?
No.
Have you ever tried to illustrate a wordless picture book?
I haven’t had a project like that come up, no.
Have you worked with any educational publishers?
I have done a lot of educational illustration in the past that included books and textbooks.
How did you get the illustrating jobs for children’s magazines?
Probably through postcard mailing and email marketing. I used a web-based email marketing company to get lists of art directors and editors to contact.
Do you work full time illustrating books?
Yes, if by “full-time” you mean almost all day every day for months, and then nothing for a while until I get a new project! It’s certainly not 9 to 5 Monday to Friday. I’ve been lucky in that I’ve mostly worked on about one or two books a year during my career.
Do you have studio in your house?
Yes, it’s a converted attic space on the 3rd floor of my house. It’s mostly full of cat hair and my 4-year-old daughter’s Lego village right now.
Do you try and spend a certain amount of hours every day working on your art?
Right now it’s trying to find a balance between work and motherhood. Let’s say it’s complicated.
What is your favorite medium to use?
Currently, I’m creating everything digitally. Until just recently, I created illustrations with ink and watercolor. I also love to experiment for personal work in lots of mediums, especially in oils.
Do you take pictures or other research before you start a project?
Absolutely. For example, with this latest project “Flying Deep,” I pored over dozens of pictures and video of the Alvin to make sure every detail was as accurate as possible, which is important with science-based books. I also visited the New England Aquarium in Boston and took photos to get a sense of how the animals move underwater and to get how light works underwater, since a lot of the book takes place in the deep ocean with no sunlight and lit only by the Alvin. With every project I always have a lot of reference, and now that I work mainly on the iPad, I can have my reference and the art open on the same screen and in the layers of my drawing program.
Do you think the Internet has opened doors for you?
Definitely. I met my agent and some clients through Etsy, and it has made it easier to contact art directors and editors.
Do you use Photoshop with your illustrations?
Minimally lately. I’ve been creating art in Procreate and I mostly use Photoshop only to prepare files for press. In the past when I worked with ink and watercolors, I used to use it much more, to scan in artwork for clients, correct any flaws (and remove any cat hair that got embedded in the paint), and prepare the work for the press.
Do you own or have you ever tried a graphic Drawing Tablet?
I’m creating my illustrations on the iPad with the pressure sensitive Apple Pencil in a program called Procreate. I’m having so much fun.
Do you think your style has changed over the years? Have your materials changed?
Yes, you’re catching me at a transition point in my career since I’m moving to digital art from ink and watercolor. In the past I’ve done loads of different techniques, like using acrylics, staining paper with teabags, and coating the paintings with different varnishes. I resisted going digital for a long time, because I had tried Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop but they couldn’t replicate the richness I was looking for. So I waited until the technology caught up to a point where I could draw and paint in almost the same way I could with pens and brushes, which Procreate can do. It doesn’t look exactly like watercolor but it has its own unique look while still retaining some traditional qualities.
What do you consider is your biggest success?
I don’t think it’s just one thing. I consider having been able to consistently have books to work on all these years to be a success.
Do you have any career dreams that you want to fulfill?
I really want to work on projects with my husband. We have several ideas and some are in the process of being made. I had to take some time away from illustration after my daughter was born and am trying to get more projects off the ground while still balancing my work life and motherhood.
What are you working on now?
After finishing Flying Deep, I’ll be working on another book, Sweet Dreaming, which is also being created digitally. Also I’m working on making pieces for my new digitally created portfolio.
Do you have any material tips you can share with us? Example: Paint or paper that you love – the best place to buy – a new product that you’ve tired – A how to tip, etc.
Digital: I use the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil, with the Procreate app. Occasionally I use an app called Paper 53 as a sketchbook.
I loved using Rotring rapidographs (which unfortunately aren’t sold in the United States anymore, so I’ve had to import them from Japan) and Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper for my traditional illustration work.
For personal work and when I have the time to oil paint, I love painting on Ampersand Claybord, which is tricky with oil but a beautiful smooth surface.
Any words of wisdom on how to become a successful illustrator?
I’m not sure I’m wise, just a hard worker. Just keep trying and make your work unique to you.
Thank you Nicole for sharing your talent, process, journey, and expertise with us. Please make sure you keep in touch and share your future successes with us. To see more of Nicole’s work, you can visit her at her website: http://nicole-wong.com/
If you have a minute, please leave a comment for Nicole. I am sure she’d love it and I enjoy reading them, too. Thanks!
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Cheng, Andrea BRUSHING MOM'S HAIR Wordsong/Boyds Mills (Children's) $$17.95 Sep. 1, 2009 ISBN: 978-1-59078-599-7
Based on Cheng's experience, this candid story sensitively explores a teenager's emotions as she copes with her mother's illness and recovery during treatments for breast cancer. Writing in free verse, Ann is just shy of 15 when her mother is diagnosed. Backed by a loving and supportive family, Ann goes about her daily life, yet everything is permeated by the thought of her mother's illness. She has difficulty talking about it to friends: "I don't say, / My mom / had both her breasts cut off / and now she has stitches / covered by bandages / where they were." Instead, Ann copes by immersing herself in ballet. The author never shies from sharing the gritty details, from cleaning the tubes with bulbs attached "like turkey basters" where her breasts use to be, to hair loss, fainting and chemo treatments, all the while realistically conveying Ann's fears and uncertainty. Wong's delicate black-and-white sketches that grace each poem make Ann look somewhat younger than 15. As a result, this slim volume is likely to appeal to a correspondingly younger audience. Worthy and moving. (Fiction. 10-13)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2009 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Cheng, Andrea: BRUSHING MOM'S HAIR." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2009. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A208117498/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=341412ca. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Only One Year
by Andrea Cheng; illus, by Nicole Wong
Primary Lee & Low 97pp.
3/10 978-1-60060-252-8 $16.95 g
Who would send a toddler far away to live with relatives? Nine-year-old Sharon and her younger sister face this question when their mother gently explains that their little brother, Di Di, will be leaving in just two weeks to live for a year in China with their grandmother. Though the girls suggest daycare or a babysitter, Mama is firm. "A babysitter is not like Nai Nai. For a babysitter, Di Di is a job. But for Nai Nai, he is a grandson." All members of this loving family miss Di Di, and the girls understand that having a brother on the other side of the world is not the norm in America. They comfort themselves with the photos Nai Nai sends each week, poring over each new haircut and physical change. When Di Di finally returns home, the adjustment isn't easy: Di Di misses his grandmother, the girls are not used to his crying, and the parents have to juggle everyone's emotions. While American children might be initially surprised to read about a small boy living away from his immediate family for such a long time, Cheng's tender story reminds us that there are many ways to raise children. Frequent, homey black-and-white illustrations and back matter such as a pronunciation guide, glossary, and author's note add to the young reader's appreciation of the story.
g indicates that the book was read in galley or page proof. The publisher's price is the suggested retail price and does not indicate a possible discount to libraries. Grade levels are only suggestions; the individual child is the real criterion.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2010 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Smith, Robin L. "Only One Year." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 86, no. 2, Mar.-Apr. 2010, p. 52. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A221195358/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=827809cf. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Churchill, Ginger WILD ROSE'S WEAVING Tanglewood Press (Adult Picture Books) $15.95 10, 11 ISBN: 978-1-933718-56-9
Preachy and predictable, this well-intentioned effort tries too hard to convey the joy and value of creativity.
Wild Rose (her name, not a descriptor plus her name) would rather frolic in the fields with the woolly white sheep than watch her grandmother weave. She revels in the oncoming storm, dances in the rain and wades in the water, rejecting each of her grandmother's calls to come learn how to make a rug. Grandma starts (and, improbably enough, finishes) her rug in the time Wild Rose spends outdoors. Its beauty achieves what her entreaties have not-now Wild Rose wants to learn. Stilted and abstract, the text fails to enliven the slight plot. When Wild Rose is won over, it's because she looked at the rug and "saw life in its colors [and] felt peace in its pattern." Wong's illustrations, which appear to be a mix of pen and ink and watercolor, feature simply drawn figures and spare settings. They are attractive but fail to bring the characters to life. Some details suggest that perhaps Wild Rose and her grandmother are Native American, which could add interest and authenticity, but unfortunately this remains unclear.
Ultimately, neither the subject matter nor the presentation is likely to engage young listeners' interest; they'd be better off following Wild Rose's example and playing outside. (Picture book. 4-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Churchill, Ginger: WILD ROSE'S WEAVING." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2011. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A264114493/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=48bfb6be. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Wade, Mary Dodson NO YEAR OF THE CAT Sleeping Bear Press (Children's Picture Books) $16.95 12, 1 ISBN: 978-1-58536-785-6
A perennially popular pourquoi story gets a fresh, if not entirely necessary, update. Over the last two decades, many explanations of the Chinese calendar have been published. Bare-bones retellings contrast with others that offer embellishments like a framing story or list of the zodiac signs and their attributes. All, of course, wind up with the same 12 years. Despite the stiff competition, Wade manages to create an engaging narrative, one that feels traditional yet offers unique details. Her Jade Emperor wants to name the years so he can celebrate and remember the birth of his son. He has three amusing advisors who repeat his every utterance and who scurry to arrange the race of the animals. While the outcome is never in question, the perils of the race are clearly conveyed, along with the pride of those who triumph and the cat's (eternal) frustration at being tricked by the wily rat. Wong's watercolor illustrations offer lovely vistas and appealing portraits. The framing pictures that surround each animal's narrative are particularly effective, illuminating aspects of their journeys and evoking the movement of the waves. Both pictures and text offer enough variety to overcome the potential dullness of the repetitive aspects of the tale. Whether familiar with the tale or not, young readers and folklore students alike will enjoy this latest (but likely not last) retelling. (Picture book/folk tale. 5-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Wade, Mary Dodson: NO YEAR OF THE CAT." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2012. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A308117040/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2d599d91. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Stewart, Melissa NO MONKEYS, NO CHOCOLATE Charlesbridge (Children's Picture Books) $16.95 8, 1 ISBN: 978-1-58089-287-2
This clever circular tale with a curious title opens with a common scene: a party including chocolaty treats. The authors explain, "[Y]ou can't make chocolate without- / -cocoa beans." With the turn of the page, readers find themselves in the rain forest microhabitat of the cocoa tree. In each spread, the authors take children backward through the life cycle of the tree: pods, flowers, leaves, stems, roots and back to beans. The interdependence of plants and animals is introduced in the process: Midges carry pollen from one flower to another; aphids destroying tender stems are kept in check by an anole. Graceful ink-and-watercolor illustrations range from an expansive view of the rain forest to a close-up of aphids. Explanations are delivered in a simple manner that avoids terms such as pollination or germination. "Bookworm" commentators in the corner of each spread either reinforce the concept--"No lizards, no chocolate"--or echo youngsters' impatience: "I thought this book was supposed to be about monkeys." Indeed, the book closes with a monkey sitting in a branch with an open pod, eating the pulp and spitting out the beans, which fall to the ground and take root: no monkeys, no chocolate. Backmatter helps young naturalists understand why conservation and careful stewardship is important. Children--and more than a few adults--will find this educational you-are-there journey to the rain forest fascinating. (Informational picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Stewart, Melissa: NO MONKEYS, NO CHOCOLATE." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2013. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A336585662/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2a0f8516. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Kenah, Katharine FERRY TAIL Sleeping Bear Press (Children's Picture Books) $16.99 3, 15 ISBN: 978-1-58536-829-7
An energetic, joyful dog finds his true home and family onboard a large ferryboat that conveys cars and people to an island community. Walter is a large, reddish dog with a white nose and tail, possibly part Irish setter. He freely roams the ferryboat on its daily trip, bringing the newspaper to the gray-bearded captain, listening to the sound of the engine with the ship's female engineer and tasting the bacon for the male cook. Walter gets along with everyone except the captain's spoiled cat, Cupcake, who tries to take over Walter's duties aboard ship. When Walter leaves the ship and tries life on the island, he finds he isn't welcomed there by anyone, and life on land is strange and unsatisfying for a canine used to life onboard. Cupcake the cat shows up to retrieve the lost dog, and they return to the ferryboat together as friends in a satisfying conclusion. Although the plot is predictable, the text conveys genuine emotion in Walter's classic search for his true home. A large trim size and appealing illustrations in a variety of formats bring Walter's antics and the island community to life. Though a dog on the loose on a ferryboat is truly a fairy tale, Walter's story is a tale well-told. (Picture book. 4-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Kenah, Katharine: FERRY TAIL." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2014. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A358425091/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a58e1e36. Accessed 5 May 2025.
To The Stars! The First American Woman to Walk in Space
Carmella Van Vleet & Dr. Kathy Sullivan, authors
Nicole Wong, illustrator
Charlesbridge
85 Main Street, Watertown, MA 02472
9781580896443, $16.95, www.charlesbridge.com
"To the Stars!" is an exciting autobiography of Kathy Sullivan, first American Woman to walk in space. Growing up, young Kathy was excited by the thought of travel, maps, books, foreign languages and more. Airplanes flying over made her want to see the whole world. She was told that girls did not do jobs like being a spy, diplomat, or adventurer. But as an adult, Kathy knew she had to follow her own compass beyond the traditional allowed female roles of nurse or teacher. Growing up, Kathy loved fishing and swimming underwater, and she loved the water still when she was grown up. As a teenager, Kathy learned to pilot a plane. Much later, she learned to read another, more complex instrument panel "To the Stars!" continues a pattern comparing Kathy's early flight and learning experience (riding a Breezy aircraft) with later space astronaut experiences as an adult. "To the Stars!" ends with a dazzling illustration of Kathy taking her walk in space, the first American woman to do so. A further Note from Kathy encourages young female readers to follow their dreams and reach for their own stars. Additional biographical information about Kathy joins other American Women Firsts in NASA history in this inspiring nonfiction biographical book.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Midwest Book Review
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"To The Stars! The First American Woman to Walk in Space." Children's Bookwatch, Feb. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A444913600/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b1238811. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Flying Deep: Climb inside Deep-Sea Submersible Alvin.
By Michelle Cusolito. Illus. by Nicole Wong.
May 2018. 32p. Charlesbridge, $17.99 (9781580898119). 627.704. Gr. 1-3.
Since its first launch in 1965, only 40 men and 1 woman have piloted the deep-sea submersible Alvin. Young readers can imagine themselves as one of the pilots in this sensory-rich picture book that uses second-person narration to describe a typical mission in the Pacific Ocean. As the pilot and two scientists (one of whom is a woman) squeeze into the tiny human-occupied vehicle (HOV) and prepare to launch, a surface crew performs final checks. As Alvin "sinks, / slowly spinning / DOWN DOWN DOWN," the digitally rendered illustrations depict not only the progressively darker ocean color but also the changes in marine life, until the HOV, two miles deep, reaches the ocean floor. Here the scientists investigate, record, analyze, and take samples of this extreme ecosystem, avoiding such calamities as rocky columns that could pin them below the surface, before finally resurfacing. Both the wonder and danger are palpable. Back matter offers more information on Alvin and some of the strange organisms living in the ocean's deepest waters. An inviting look at scientists in action.--Angela Leeper
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
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Leeper, Angela. "Flying Deep: Climb inside Deep-Sea Submersible Alvin." Booklist, vol. 114, no. 17, 1 May 2018, p. 71. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A539647423/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2e21397a. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Morton, Stephie THREE LOST SEEDS Tilbury House (Children's Fiction) $17.95 10, 1 ISBN: 978-0-88448-764-7
A STEM story of nature's resilience.
Rhyming text follows, in turn, three seeds that each overcome natural barriers and disasters to eventually thrive and grow into the "plant it was planning to be." A bird takes a cherry, then drops it into a stream, but the little pit ends up taking root in muddy soil by the stream, and it grows into a tree. Wong adds visual interest to her scientifically accurate illustrations of flora by depicting, here, a Muslim family unmentioned by text with two children and a mother wearing hijab, first picnicking by the stream and then later (the children now bigger) picking cherries from the tree. In the next part of the book, a forest fire brings destruction, but it also unearths an acacia seed brought deep underground by ants. This little seed then grows as part of reforestation. The third seed drifts in a pod until an earthquake drains the lake in which it floated. Wong's art shows a child who appears Asian gazing at it upon cracked, barren ground. A page turn delivers a dramatic fast-forward: "When rain filled the crater / ONE HUNDRED YEARS later, / the lotus seed drank up and GREW!" Strong backmatter provides more information about seeds and seed banks, bolstering an already excellent offering.
Seed shelves with this title to grow STEM readers. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Morton, Stephie: THREE LOST SEEDS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Sept. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A597739508/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=96ac8cd4. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Magee, Ann BRANCHES OF HOPE Charlesbridge (Children's None) $16.99 5, 18 ISBN: 978-1-62354-132-3
Text and pictures attest to the resilience of New Yorkers and a remarkable tree following 9/11.
A pear tree is discovered—scarred, burned, and buried—under mounds of rubble after the collapse of the Twin Towers and replanted in a nursery in the Bronx, where it eventually regrows and thrives. This deeply touching book equates the tree’s extraordinary renaissance with New Yorkers’ reawakened strength, spirit, and hope in the aftermath of the tragedy. One particular family—portrayed as an interracial couple (mom presents Black and dad, White) and their very young child—stand in for all New York’s and, indeed, America’s citizens and are depicted in opening scenes innocently enjoying daily life. Everything changes after they watch in bewildered horror as the awful events unfold on TV. Illustrations very ably accompany the simple, solemn text, using both double-page spreads and paneled insets; they highlight and interconnect the passing of time for tree and humans. The “Survivor Tree” is reborn, ultimately returned to its original site and replanted; first responders at ground zero work diligently; the child grows and gains a baby sibling; ordinary activities continue; seasons change; and a 9/11 memorial is built. At book’s end, the child has grown to adulthood and become a New York City firefighter. Several somber-colored illustrations capture the disaster, but the artwork doesn’t dwell on devastation, instead focusing on bright, uplifting images of hope and recovery. An author’s note and information about the tree conclude the book.
Moving and poignant, a tender tribute in this 20th-anniversary commemoration of 9/11. (Informational picture book. 5-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Magee, Ann: BRANCHES OF HOPE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2021. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A656696535/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=93513886. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Kiyoshi's Walk
by Mark Karlins; illus. by Nicole Wong
Primary Lee & Low 32 pp. g
3/21 978-1-62014-958-4 $18.95
Kiyoshi appreciates the haiku written by his grandfather, the "wise poet" Eto, and asks him, "Where do poems come from?" In response, his grandfather pockets a pen and paper and takes him on a walk through their busy urban neighborhood. Passing by a fruit stand, Kiyoshi pats a cat standing on a pyramid of oranges. After the page-turn, the fruit is scattered on the ground, and Eto writes a poem: "Hill of orange suns. / Cat leaps. Oranges tumble. / The cat licks his paw." They continue their walk, and Kiyoshi's senses are heightened as he notices a flower in a sidewalk crack and the passing "whoosh" of a girl on a bike. Pigeons fly overhead, leading to Eto's next haiku; a forgotten teddy bear behind a construction wall leads to the third. Like Karlins's text, Wong's digital illustrations are delicate and precise. She uses soft pastels along with grays and browns, employing a variety of perspectives to capture the beauty of a North American cityscape. By the end of the walk Kiyoshi is inspired to create his own poem, having learned that poetry comes from the world around him and from the feelings in his heart, "the way they come together." An author's note explains the Japanese origins of haiku and how it differs from the American form. This warm, loving picture book might just inspire a poetry walk. SUSAN DOVE LEMPKE
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.hbook.com/magazine/default.asp
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Lempke, Susan Dove. "Kiyoshi's Walk." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 97, no. 3, May-June 2021, pp. 111+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A669313519/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8c521146. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Kate Milford, illus. by Nicole Wong. Clarion, $17.99 (400p) ISBN 978-1-328-46690-7
As rain and the Skidwrack River's rising make "new rivers that had once been roads," 15 stranded individuals alternately spin stories in this deliciously folkloric, carefully plotted compilation that has roots in--and similarities to--Milford's Greenglass House. Interspersed with interludes in the Blue Vein Tavern and bearing repeating references and themes, the individual stories focus on "peddlers, tricksters, gamblers, and lovers"; keys, maps, and portals; and roads of ice and of old. In the moments between the tellings, the inclusive array of worldly and otherworldly guests-brothers with facial tattoos, a shawlswathed woman, a child traveling solo--and the tavern's staff rotate across a great room's stage, manipulating physical objects (cards, an hourglass, whittled animals, music boxes) and engaging in continual patterns of movement (bookbinding, dancing, firekeeping). At once a deeply satisfying standalone and a smart addition to Milford's expansive world, this elegant feat of telescopic storytelling serves as both map and key, offering singular stones of consequence that slowly, artfully reveal an immersive mystery--one that will dazzle seasoned Milford fans and kindle new ones. Ages 8--12.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 PWxyz, LLC
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"The Raconteur's Commonplace Book: A Greenglass House Story." Publishers Weekly, vol. 268, no. 48, 24 Nov. 2021, p. 86. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A686559719/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7c39cc2e. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Diving Deep: Using Machines to Explore the Ocean
by Michelle Cusolito; illus. by Nicole Wong
Primary, Intermediate Charlesbridge 32 pp. g
6/22 978-1-62354-293-1 $17.99
In a follow-up to the pair's Flying Deep (rev. 7/18), Cusolito and Wong enumerate the various ways people explore the ocean. Readers learn about the methods (e.g., snorkel, free dive, scuba) and machines (deep-sea submersibles, underwater research lab materials) humans utilize to conquer the challenges of underwater observation (these being extreme pressure and the need for breathable air). The clear expository prose of the main text is accompanied by detailed sidebars that provide extensive descriptions and facts. Double-page spreads allow Wong's digital art to set the explorers, equipment, and sea life in various ocean habitats. Cusolito centers humanity's sense of wonder and desire to learn more, focusing on the "diving we do to expand scientific knowledge, research, and communication." Extensive back matter includes a helpful (though not-to-scale) spread incorporating all the diving methods and machines found throughout the book, shown in various ocean depths. A glossary, author's note, and list of resources are also included. Curious readers will dive right in.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Sources, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Carpenter, Eric. "Diving Deep: Using Machines to Explore the Ocean." The Horn Book Magazine, vol. 98, no. 4, July-Aug. 2022, p. 142. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A711168181/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7ef979ef. Accessed 5 May 2025.
* If the Rivers Run Free. By Andrea Debbink. Illus. by Nicole Wong. Aug. 2023. 40p. Sleeping Bear, $18.99 (9781534112780). K-Gr. 3.551.48.
Looking back through the centuries when city sites were chosen based on the location of rivers to provide clean water and transportation, this unusual picture book points out that those rivers, later covered over by urban streets and sidewalks, were altered for relatively short-term benefits without considering long-term environmental consequences. Debbink offers an alternate view of Earths rivers as a vital part of our ecosystem, mismanaged by previous generations. As a remedy, she focuses on the idea of "daylighting" (uncovering) urban rivers built over long ago, a process undertaken in certain Australian, European, and North American cities. She encourages kids to imagine the ecologically bright future if we follow their lead. "So think about this when you walk down the street: / There could be a river right under your feet. / Then imagine the wonders, / the world that could be; / you will see it yourself, / if the rivers run free." Making key points while moving steadily toward the conclusion, the book's rhymed couplets vary in tone from lyrical visions to plainspoken truths. The same tones resonate through Wong's graceful illustrations, which contrast smoggy, overcrowded cityscapes with peaceful scenes of rivers winding through idyllic landscapes filled with sunlight, warmth, and life. A captivating, persuasive picture book.--Carolyn Phelan
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 American Library Association
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Phelan, Carolyn. "If the Rivers Run Free." Booklist, vol. 119, no. 21, 1 July 2023, p. 59. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A760091551/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e36ab63a. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Enough is...
Jessica Whipple, author
Nicole Wong, illustrator
Tilbury House, Publishers
www.tilburyhouse.com
9780884484615, $18.95, HC, 32pp
https://www.amazon.com/Enough-Jessica-Whipple/dp/0884489329
Synopsis: How many friends, turns, clothes, toys, fashion accessories, books? How much of anything? The pictures follow one child as she learns the difference between wanting and needing and, in the end, feels the contentment that flows from being satisfied with what she has. The text, meanwhile, frames a difficult idea in simple, spare language: "Somewhere between a little and a lot, there is Enough. It might be hard to spot, but it's always there."
Critique: Kids encountering the pressure to fit in with peers is the ideal readership for "Enough is... ", an original and entertaining picture book story by author/storyteller Jessica Whipple who deftly explores a concept that is key to happiness: how much is enough? Charmingly illustrated by the colorful artwork of Nicole Wong, "Enough is... " is a very highly recommended addition to elementary school and community library Life Skills & Values picture book collections for young readers ages 5-8.
Editorial Note #1: Jessica Whipple (https://www.authorjessicawhipple.com) has a background in marketing and communications. She has worked as a copywriter and in communications for a Pennsylvania nonprofit. Now an SCBWI member, she has sold articles to Highlights and is a long-term contributor to Wildflowers: A Creative Magazine for Girls. She also writes poetry for children. "Enough is... " is Jessica's first children's book.
Editorial Note #2: Nicole Wong (https://nicole-wong.com) was raised by a designer/painter dad and a fashion illustrator mom and never thought of becoming anything except an illustrator. She has illustrated twenty-five children's books with collage, egg tempera, oils, watercolor, ink, and other media, including Three Lost Seeds (Tilbury House, 2019) and I'll Be the Water (Tilbury House, 2020). Her illustrations for Kiyoshi's Walk (Lee and Low, 2021) earned starred reviews from Kirkus ("captivating") and SLJ ("wonderful").
Please Note: Illustration(s) are not available due to copyright restrictions.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Midwest Book Review
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"Enough is..." Children's Bookwatch, Sept. 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A769157569/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3db827db. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Yolen, Jane QUIET AS MUD Magination/American Psychological Association (Children's None) $18.99 4, 16 ISBN: 9781433841538
"I'm quiet as mud when I'm alone."
Inspired by a quote from author Margaret Wise Brown, Yolen offers a gently paced ode to the silent and soft-spoken. Appropriately, only one or two lines occupy each page, letting Wong's pastoral illustrations take the lead. An unnamed young narrator floats through the sky, frolics across fields and forests, and goes on family picnics while sharing various similes, many rooted in nature. "I'm quiet as the stars" and "silent as a sandwich / when it sits uneaten on a plate," says the little one. "I just like hearing the world spin by." Though surrounded by a supportive family, the narrator is "quiet as mud when I'm alone." Muddy footprints feature throughout, with the whole family looking (happily) grubby by the end, together in the garden behind a yellow house. Whatever reasons readers may have to be quiet, they'll find Yolen's words reassuring. Being quiet lets the protagonist pay attention to things others might miss, such as "the songs that the rocks all sing." The child is also "happy to hear my heart beat / with its own steady thud-thud-thud." Yolen has crafted an idyllic safe space for daydreamers, shrinking violets, and selectively mute little ones and a sweetly surreal alternative point of view for everyone else. The protagonist is light-skinned, as are most family members.
Mild-mannered mindfulness that leads by example. (Picture book. 2-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Yolen, Jane: QUIET AS MUD." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A782202512/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=58c37834. Accessed 5 May 2025.
Wong, Nicole A CAT LIKE THAT Margaret Quinlin Books/Peachtree (Children's None) $18.99 1, 7 ISBN: 9781682635230
A jaunty kitty parades through her seaside town, greeting friends and neighbors until she locates one special pal.
"A cat. / A cat. // A big, round cat. // Have you ever seen / a cat like that?" Anchored by an infectious and eminently chantable refrain, this succinct rhyming story is an ideal toddler read-aloud. A minimal plot follows a regal black-and-white feline as she ambles through the day, visiting a fire station, a bustling downtown, the fishing docks, and finally the school, where she waits for her light-skinned young owner. The text's pacing is smooth, and the rhymes never feel forced. Tidy, full-bleed digital illustrations use light and shadow deftly, and the canvaslike texture gives the art a timeless feel. A light, beachy palette captures the town's seashore vibes. Varied perspectives keep the pages feeling fresh, including spreads at cat's-eye level or scenes showing the streets from above, along with a dotted-line map of the feline's wanderings. These images contrast beautifully with close-ups that highlight the cat's expressions as she bats a butterfly or smacks her wee kitty tongue. The ending feels a bit abrupt--after so much waiting, readers might wish to see more of the happy reunion between cat and child--but that's a minor quibble. The town is filled with diverse residents.
This simple yet skillful rhyming book is the cat's meow.(Picture book. 2-5)
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"Wong, Nicole: A CAT LIKE THAT." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A813883677/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8ca4ea9a. Accessed 5 May 2025.
The Beat of the Dragon Boat
Christina Matula, illus. by Nicole Wong.
Sleeping Bear, $18.99 (32p)
ISBN 978-1-5341-1320-6
A Chinese grandfather enthralls his grandson in this lightly fantastical work about a traditional celebration. The night before the Dragon Festival, Yeye tells the story of how the annual event got started. According to legend, the guardian dragons in every lake and river once carried the sun's warmth, the sea's breezes, and the sky's rain to help humankind. When the Dragon King befriended poet Qu Yuan, the writer incorporated the dragon's words "into poems about raindrops and rivers, the stars and the moon," Matula notes. He also encouraged villagers to bang drums on launched boats by way of expressing resonant appreciation for the dragon's guardianship. After the child dreams of dragons, the narrative picks up with a beat-by-beat accounting of the next day's race, including the child's small offering to "our dragon." Wong's finely detailed illustrations gesture at deep intergen-erational affection while combining the detailed wonders of the dragon story with the day-of thrill of the race. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Back matter includes an author's note and recipe. Ages 6-7. (Apr.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2025 PWxyz, LLC
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"The Beat of the Dragon Boat." Publishers Weekly, vol. 272, no. 10, 10 Mar. 2025, p. 63. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A830865110/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=811c63ea. Accessed 5 May 2025.