Omnivoracious

Sunny Days and Summer Books

With warm weather finally setting in and the end of school just over the horizon it's finally time to start thinking about all the books we want to read this summer.  Will this be the year I finally read Dante's Inferno?  Maybe it will be Dan Brown's new book, Inferno, or maybe both...  My summer reading plan (because, yes, I have one..) is to mix it up with books that I meant to read, but didn't, and the best of the new releases, so I'm going to hit our Summer Reading store for ideas. If you need some ideas, too, below is a sampling of our Editors' Picks for readers of all ages during (at least in Seattle) the best months of the year.  What books do you want to read this summer?

Best new books (for adults) to read this summer: 

Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen: Hiaasen is back at his wickedly funny best in a new tale about greed, corruption, and comeuppance in Florida--and the Bahamas--thanks to a cast of characters that includes a Bahamian voodoo witch, a kinky coroner, and a very bad monkey.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini: The bestselling author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, has written a new novel about how we love, how we take care of one another, and how the choices we make resonate through generations.  Can lightning strike a third time? For Hosseini, it does.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman: His first novel for adults since Anansi Boys, an imaginative and poignant fairy tale about childhood, memories, mystery and magic.

Editors' Picks for Kids and Teens to read this summer: new books you won't want to miss and some favorites from years gone by.

Books for Kids: 

Paperboy by Vince Vawter (ages 9-12): In this coming-of-age novel, an 11-year-old boy living in the segregated South throws the meanest fastball in town, but talking is a whole different ball game. One summer can change a life, and for this young man a paper route brings a run-in with the neighborhood junkman, a bully and thief, that puts his life in danger.

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (ages 8 and up): Winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal, Ivan is a gorilla who lives a predictable life making art for the visitors to the Exit 8 Big Top Mall from behind glass walls, but everything changes when a new baby elephant arrives and he sees his world through her eyes. 

Pete the Cat: The Wheels on the Bus by James Dean (ages 4-8): Pete the Cat has quickly become a beloved new picture book character and this time he brings his groovy, laid-back style to a classic. As always, singing is required.

Books for Teens:

The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey (teen): The Passage meets Ender's Game in an epic new series where aliens arrive on Earth and it's nothing like you've ever seen before.  Don't let the young adult category fool you--this one is nearly impossible to put down whether you're 14 or 45.

The Moon and More by Sarah Dessen (teen): Luke is the perfect boyfriend: handsome, kind, fun. He and Emaline have been together all through high school in Colby, the beach town where they both grew up. But now, in the summer before college, Emaline wonders if perfect is good enough.

Divergent by Veronica Roth (teen): Summer is the perfect time to start a new series and if you haven't read Divergent yet, put this one to the top of the list.  The first book of a dystopian trilogy filled with electrifying decisions, heartbreaking betrayals, stunning consequences, and unexpected romance, it all comes to an end this fall with the third book, Allegiant.

The Making of a Bestselling Children's Book

In children's books there are those rare gems that come out of the gate like the literary equivalent of a coveted holiday toy, but unlike those talking Elmo's and Cabbage Patch dolls (for those of you old enough to remember) these books are also destined to stand the test of time.  Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site is one such book.  It came out in 2011 and was one of our Best Picture Books of the Year--it hasn't slowed down since.  Today, the newest book from the same author and illustrator team comes out, Steam Train, Dream Train, and it is wonderfully different.  In fact, Steam Train, Dream Train, our Best Picture Book of April, has, in my opinion, the potential become even bigger than it's predecessor. It's rhythmic, engaging, and beautiful.

Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site was the first book by an author who was by profession a graphic designer, but also the mother of two young boys.  We wondered what life has been like for her, winning such high acclaim and success with her first book.  Sherri Duskey Rinker had this to say:

In 2009, I was a typical, exhausted working mom. I had a three year old and a seven year old; I was sleep-deprived and stretched too thin.

As a graphic designer for more than twenty years, I was SO over it: budgets, corporate politics, marketing speak, revisions, hot deadlines, late hours, disrupted weekends and vacations—all of it. What was once a lovely career was now drudgery (kids change everything, right?), and I was often grumpy and resentful about the whole thing. I sometimes prayed for a better option, but I often felt like my pleas just scattered to the breeze, unheard.

My boys were the bright spot in every day. I was awful about honoring bedtimes—evenings were the only time I really had to spend with them, uninterrupted. My husband scolded halfheartedly, but we laughed, played, talked, cuddled, and, finally—way later than we should— settled in to read before bed.

Still, I was exhausted. I felt like those dolls that close their eyes when you lay them down, as though only the distance to the nearest horizontal surface stood between me and unconsciousness. But my little one, especially, wanted to talk. About trucks. (Inspired by our reading, of course.) He thanked God for them (ALL of them, by name, each and every one), asked which was my favorite, and wondered how much each one could lift or carry. Remember that cool one we saw today? He’ll drive that when he gets big. How much longer ’til he’s big? Don’t forget about that new one he wants for his birthday. He needs to remind Grandpa he wants the yellow one not the red one. One is broken; Daddy will need to fix it. He needs another loader for a job he has tomorrow; he’s working overtime on a big project. Can we buy a new loader? Aren’t crane trucks super awesome? . . . And on, and on . . .

One night, after I’d fallen asleep in his bed and, hours later, stumbled across the hall into my own, I received a gift: It occurred to me that what we needed was a truck book melded with a goodnight book. The idea for Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site hit me like a fastball (title and all), and I got a total adrenaline rush pondering it.

SO: I wrote it, I sent it, I signed a contract—and it sold. And sold BIG. (Really big.) Like, #1 New York Times bestseller big.

Now it’s 2013. It’s hard to express how much has changed. I visit schools to talk about my books and my life.

Teachers give me introductions that I’m sure must be meant for someone else. Little girls hug me on their way out, and little boys ask for my autograph and high fives. Kids make me thank-you cards out of construction paper and color pictures for me to take home and hang on my fridge.

AND, I get paid. Seriously: How can you beat that?

I see my name on bestseller lists with amazing, talented, legendary writers. No one has yet realized that I’ve infiltrated their group without credentials, so I’ll be acting like I belong (and excitedly e-mailing the lists to my dad) until I’m caught and exposed as a fraud.

I’m signing books NEXT TO LOIS EHLERT, author of the famous and fabulous Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (which, btw, was the first baby thing I bought when I found out I was pregnant). Okay, I’m sure she still has no idea who the heck I am, but that’s not the point.

I email one of my idols, Judy Schachner (writer/illustrator of the FAB SkippyJon Jones), AND SHE EMAILS ME BACK. Really — I kid you not.

Taye Diggs tweets that he and his son love my book (insert teenage-girl shriek here)!

A friend of my mother-in-law calls to tell her that she has just seen my book mentioned by an actress in an article in Good Housekeeping which creates quite the commotion, and elevates me to a B-level big shot among the suburban grandmother crowd.

Envision giant pain-in-the-ass client, the one that makes your stomach sink just seeing their name appear in your inbox: “Hi, Celia, thank you so much for your interest in utilizing my design service for your project, but I’ve been rapidly phasing out my graphic design business in order to focus more on my books/writing/appearances.”—And, in case you were wondering, it feels JUST AS FABULOUS to hit that “send” button as I always dreamed it would! Goodbye, Sunday Night Dreads!

 My best friend calls to tell me that my book is a question on “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.” I’m pop culture?

A few splurges: an Hermes scarf . . . or two . . . or three (But, hey, still eBay . . . I’m still me.) an adorable (and arguably functional) little Louis Vuitton bag (again, eBay); afternoon tea with (surprise!) an overnight stay at the Ritz with my husband, both boys and both grandmas, including an amazing view, room service EVERYTHING, and my little guy’s first sighting of a bidet. (Which he now thinks is a household essential, and he cannot believe we will not get one.)

I’m heading out on a national promotional tour for my second book, Steam Train, Dream Train. (I just like to say that because I think it sounds cool.) This time, the creative process was far more collaborative between Tom and me, and I offered feedback on the sketches, as he did on the verse. And, beneath my calm façade, there are moments when I hear myself internally gush: “Tom Lichtenheld’s actually asking my opinion!”

I still clean the house and pick up socks. I still spend half my life in a car driving the boys everywhere. I still help with homework, fret over what we’re having for dinner and make the calls that go, “Doctor, I need to bring him in. This rash does NOT look good.” We still laugh and cuddle past our bedtime, but it’s no longer because I haven’t seen them all day.

I haven’t lost sight of the fact that I’ve been amazingly blessed. I’m grateful every day for my wonderful family and an incredible new career. I’m just stunned and thrilled beyond belief to be standing here, and the only thing I know for sure is this: I can’t wait for the next chapter.

---Sherri Duskey Rinker

Meet the Surreal Seuss and Enter the Cat Behind the Hat Sweepstakes

According to Entertainment Weekly, “There’s the Dr. Seuss we all know--the one who counts fish and extols the virtues of unlikely breakfast items--but there was also a lot more to the man who penned the children’s books we grew up on.”

For sixty years, Dr. Seuss spent his nights working on a series of surrealist artworks, which he called his “Midnight Paintings.” These paintings allowed him to go beyond the boundaries of commercial influences and deadlines, but during his lifetime he kept them under wraps, fiercely protecting them from the public eye. Yet he always intended to show them after he was gone, and The Cat Behind the Hat: The Collector’s Edition is a peek behind the public persona into the weird and wonderful world of these Midnight Paintings.

Through March 31, you can visit www.facebook.com/ArtofDrSeuss and vote for your favorite Midnight Painting for your chance to win a framed limited edition Dr. Seuss canvas artwork, valued at $2,500--or one of five copies of The Cat Behind the Hat: The Collector’s Edition, valued at $300.

The two competitors are “Incidental Music for a New Year’s Eve Party” and “Raising Money for the Arts.” “Incidental Music…” was originally published as a black and white center-spread in Judge Magazine in 1932, while “Raising Money for the Arts” was included in a charity auction benefiting the La Jolla Art Center, and was the one and only time Ted offered one of his Midnight Paintings for sale.

Which one is your favorite?

Children's Choice Book Awards: The Finalists

The Children's Choice Book Awards are a relatively new, but have a unique method of choosing the winners--the votes of children.  Educators, librarians, and classrooms full of kids can all be involved--reading the finalist books and submitting a vote for their favorite books in each grade level category.  The 2013 lists have a fantastic line-up of titles, including some of my favorites from 2012 Best Books of the Month and Year.  The awards will be announced at a gala event on May 13th, kicking off Children's Book Week and I can't wait to see who wins.  Have you ever voted for the CCBAs before?  If you haven't, these finalists are a good reason to start:

 Kindergarten - Second Grade

• Big Mean Mike by Michelle Knudsen
• The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems
• I'll Save You Bobo! by Eileen Rosenthal
• Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta
• Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin

Grades 3-4

• Bad Kitty for President by Nick Bruel
• Get the Scoop on Animal Poop by Dawn Cusick
• Homer by Shelley Rotner
• National Geographic Kids Just Joking: 300 Hilarious Jokes, Tricky Tongue Twisters, and Ridiculous Riddles by National Geographic Kids
• Pluto Visits Earth! by Steve Metzger

Grades 5-6

• Dork Diaries 4: Tales from a Not-So-Graceful Ice Princess by Rachel Renee Russell
• Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead
• Pickle: The (Formerly) Anonymous Prank Club of Fountain Point Middle School by Kim Baker
• Rebel McKenzie by Candice Ransom
• Stickman Odyssey, Book 2: The Wrath of Zozimos by Christopher Ford

 

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

Today is a Seuss-tacular celebration of reading, thanks to the annual National Education Association's "Read Across America" event.  Some classrooms celebrated yesterday with pajama parties and read-a-thons while other kids are sitting down with their Seuss books today, on what would have been Theodor Seuss Geisel's 109th birthday.

This year the Seuss character representing the event is Bartholomew Cubbins, from The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins, published 75 years ago. Recently there was a story about Dr. Seuss' collection of hats that he kept in a special closet behind a bookcase--back in 1937 in the Springfield Union News Seuss' sister remarked, “Ted has another peculiar hobby—that of collecting hats of every description. Why, he must have several hundred and he is using them as the foundation of his next book.”  And, of course, you know what book came next...

The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins book cover got a swanky new makeover for it's 75th anniversary but the classic Seuss story remains the same.  If you've never read it, I hope you'll give it a try--a spoiled prince, a poor village boy, and an astonishing number of hats add up to a lot of fun.  Are you celebrating Read Across America today?  What book(s) are you reading?

 

2013 Children's Book Award Winners

Today the American Library Association announced the winners of the biggest children's book awards of the year at a ceremony here in Seattle.  It was really exciting to be in the audience with publishers, authors, librarians and booksellers as we all waited anxiously to see if any of our favorites made the list and each announcement was greeted by a "love bomb" of applause.

2013 is the 75th anniversary of one of the most prestigious awards, the Randolph Caldecott award for illustration and I could not have been more thrilled when they announced that This Is Not My Hat, my own number one pick for the Best Picture Book of 2012, was the winner. Author and illustrator Jon Klassen also took home a second win, a Caldecott Honor for his illustration of Extra Yarn. 

The One and Only Ivan took home the Newbery Medal for children's literature and is so deserving of the prize.  Ivan made our Best Middle Grade Books of 2012 list with its touching narrative and memorable characters--it is right at home with other classic animal stories of friendship and courage.

Here is the full list of the winners and honor books for 2013's Caldecott and Newbery Medals. You can see more 2013 Children's Book award winners here.

Randolph Caldecott Medal: This year there were an astonishing four Honor books in addition to the winner

• This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen - Winner!
• Extra Yarn written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen - Honor
• One Cool Friend written by Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by David Small - Honor
• Green by Laura Vaccaro Seeger - Honor
• Sleep Like a Tiger written by Mary Loque, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski - Honor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Newbery Medal:

• The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate - Winner!
• Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage -Honor
• Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin - Honor
• Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz - Honor

Award Winner Clare Vanderpool's Favorite Children's Books

With the 2013 Newbery Award winner soon to be announced (on January 28), author Clare Vanderpool has released her first book since her debut novel Moon Over Manifest won the 2011 Newbery Medal. No small amount of expectation accompanies the follow-up to an award winner and with Navigating Early Vanderpool rose to the occasion with two endearing characters, Early and Jack, and a novel of journeys, memories, and the power of a story to hold us captive or set us free.  Navigating Early is our spotlight Best of the Month pick for middle grade readers this month and I'm still hearing Early's voice in my head and thinking about the magical properties of pi.

I always want to hear what authors (especially award-winning authors) recommend as their favorite kids' books and on Vanderpool's roster she includes some of the greats.

Clare Vanderpool’s Favorite Children’s Books

•  A Long Way from Chicago and A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck: I read both of these as an adult and really appreciated the Midwestern feel of the stories – funny, genuine, and full of great characters.

• Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell: I loved this story of a young girl’s sacrifice and resilience.   I had about ten pages left and wouldn’t leave the bathroom until I’d finished the book.

• A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle: Who doesn’t love the Wrinkle in Time books?  These books instilled a love of all things time travel.  If it ever becomes a reality, I’ll be the first to sign up.

• Half Magic by Edward Eager: I still have the original hardback that I read years ago.  The pages are yellow but that only adds to the charm of the story.  I’d wish that I could read Half Magic again for the first time, but we all know that wishes, especially ones that only come true by half, can lead to trouble!

• The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis: I read the first chapter of this wonderful story in our 4^th grade reader in school and I was hooked.  I got the whole set of the Chronicles of Narnia for Christmas and loved all of them.  They forever changed a good game of hide and seek.

• Treasure Island and Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson: They’re called classics for a reason!  These swashbuckling tales have held up through the years and are a must read for any adventurous boy or girl.  Plus there are some kind of scary parts that are fun to read with a flashlight, under the covers, late at night.

• The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy: Another great story that I read as an adult.  I started it on a day off from work and couldn’t put it down.  A real page-turner with lots of twists and turns.

• Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White: This one takes me back to first grade when our teacher read it to us.  We all wanted to know where Papa was going with that ax.  And we all fell in love with a pig and a spider.

• The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster: Crazy, wonderful book!  This is the kind of book that has so many interesting and clever things in it that it should be read at least once as a kid and then again as an adult. 

• Anne of Green Gables  by Lucy Maude Montgomery: Anne Shirley is a once in a lifetime character.  She’s an orphan who gets adopted by a brother and sister who really wanted a boy.  But they fall in love with her humor and her spirit just like the rest of us.

• Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder: Required reading for any Kansas girl – and anyone else who loves stories about place, and family, and home.

 

 

Best Picture Books of 2012

Choosing the best picture books of the year is one of my favorite things to do as I stare down the close of another year.  It's so fun to go back through and enjoy the books all over again--even the ones I haven't stopped reading for months (those are truly the best!).  Here are the Top 10 and you can see all 20 of the best picture books of 2012, in best-selling order, here.

 Editors' Picks for the Best Picture Books of 2012

1. This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen: Klassen's award-winning book I Want My Hat Back was a big hit in 2011 and his new one is every bit as fun.  This is Not My Hat flips the story so this time it's the thief we are following--in this case a little fish who steals a bowler hat from a very large fish--as he tries to get away with it.  I love this book so much because the illustrations effortlessly tell much of the story and the ending invites conversation as both fish go into the tall weeds and only the big one comes out.  With his hat on.  What happened to the little fish?  Maybe he got eaten, maybe they had a talk and he gave it back, maybe he dropped the hat and escaped.  It can be different every time, limited only by a child's (or parent's) imagination.  I chatted with Klassen a few weeks ago in the Amazon offices and he drew while we talked--you'll recognize the turtle from the first book and the crab from the second.  You can see the video after our #10 pick below.

2. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce: Joyce has had a busy year--the animated short film version of this picture book won an Oscar (!) and he published the next 3 books in his terrific new chapter book series, The Guardians of Childhood--you may also recognize that title from the movie adaptation out now.  The Fantastic Flying Books...is a picture book for book lovers, sharing an appreciation for stories, however they are told, and illustrated in wondrous detail.

3. Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by James Dean and Eric Litwin:  Pete the Cat is a new favorite around my house, and for good reason.  Pete is laid back and loves to tell a story with a song.  In Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons, Pete does the math (in song, of course) on how many buttons he has left after yet another one pops off until the final button goes... but it's still not the end (Pete still has a belly button!).  Really fun to read aloud, and a big hit with the PreK-K set.

 4. Olivia and the Fairy Princesses by Ian Falconer:  This is one of my favorite Olivia books so far.  In true Olivia fashion she wants to be different and this time she's eschewing the pink princess trend that all the girls (and a couple of boys) are following.  Falconer's illustrations are brilliant and I particularly love how Olivia tries on princess alternatives and goes through a Martha Graham phase.  Pure Olivia fun with a great message about identity and self-confidence.

5. Big Mean Mike by Michelle Knudsen and Scott Magoon:  The picture book version of an often told story--a character with a hard exterior is found to be hiding a heart of gold.  Mike is a tough, leather jacket wearing bulldog who keeps finding fuzzy white bunnies hiding in his big, loud, muscle car.  He tries to resist their cute little bunny faces but at last he just has to give in and enjoy their company.  I love the message about standing up for friends in the face of the "in" crowd and not judging people by their exterior.  And there are bunnies wearing sunglasses.  Need I say more?

 6. Llama Llama Time to Share by Anna Dewdney:  LLama Llama always hits the right notes and sharing is an ideal topic for toddlers on up who can relate to Llama's dramas.  Dewdney gets the dynamics of little ones sharing--and then suddenly deciding they no longer want to--often with the result we see in the book of the very toy being fought over ending up broken in the struggle. All's well that ends well for Llama and Time to Share is worth reading over and over.

7. The Cloud Spinner  by Michael Catchpool and Alison Jay: Alison Jay's illustrations have a special quality of being beautifully detailed but the feel is warm and simple--her style is easily recognizable and she's one of my favorites. Jay's images perfectly embody a soft and heartfelt environmental message that touches on greed and preservation of resources.  Best of all, it's the kids in the story who see what is happening and take action.  Every time I read this book I think of someone else I want to give it to.

 8. The Adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare by Sam McBratney: Guess How Much I Love You is still a favorite with parents and kids so having a new Nutbrown Hare story this year is really exciting. In each of the four stories that make up Adventures...budding independence is tempered by parental support and reassurance that makes the Nutbrown Hare books relatable and timeless.

 9. The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? by Mo Willems:  The Pigeon is joined by an adorable little duckling who gets what he wants just by asking...politely. Duckling and Pigeon are both sides of the coin and it's easy for little ones to make the connection between using good manners and kindness rather than a temper tantrum to get what you want--whether it's a cookie or a friend.

 10. I Have a Dream by Martin Luther King Jr. and Kadir Nelson: Kadir Nelson's stunning illustrations accompany the full text of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s historic "I Have a Dream" speech in a new picture book that includes an audio CD of the original speech from 1963 .  King's words and Nelson's images are a powerful and breathtaking combination that has award-winner written all over it.

 

 

Amazon Talks to Jon Klassen, Author of "This is Not My Hat"

Amazon Interviews Jeff Kinney on "Diary of a Wimpy Kid"

Jeff Kinney may not be the most publically recognized man in kids' books (who would that be, really?) but if you say "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" that is a whole other story. 

Today fans will at last get their hands on a chocolate brown copy of The Third Wheel, the seventh book in the enormously popular series. We know that The Third Wheel involves Greg Heffley wading into the angsty pool of middle school romance (something Kinney and I both remember as "going with" someone) with it's social implications, third-hand accounts of romantic interest, and inevitable break-ups.  I would pity Greg Heffley his trials but I know the book will be too funny for that.  

Perhaps, like me, you are curious why after all the brightly colored covers the seventh book goes in a new direction (brown).  Yes, I think about these things, and I am not alone ...According to Kinney, there was a meeting about what color to make the cover of a book set around Valentine's Day if you are not partial to using pink.  One bright publishing mind at the table suggested that Valentine's Day is really all about the chocolates, and there you have it--thanks to an honest (if unsentimental) point of view, the issue was resolved, bring on the candy-colored cover.

In a highlight of my time at Book Expo America this year, I chatted with Jeff Kinney in the video interview below.  We talked about the storyline of The Third Wheel, his plans for the series (both for books and other media), and his writing habits -- what he avoids and what keeps him going.  Kinney is every bit as delightful as the books he writes, and I am excited to see the things we talked about come to pass.

 

From "Hunger Games" to Children's Books

This year Gary Ross' Hunger Games film had movie-goers lining up at theaters for the latest in a career that includes other best-selling books turned Hollywood gems (Seabiscuit, Tales of Despereaux).  Besides directing and producing movies, Ross has written original screenplays and now he's turning his attention and talents to children's books.  Bartholomew Biddle and the Very Big Wind is an imaginative journey for readers age 6 and up, told entirely in rhyme.  It's a tricky style, and he pulls it off beautifully (we picked it as a Best Book of November) in this story of a boy, a bedsheet, and a love of adventure.  I talked to Ross earlier this year about how he came to write Bartholomew Biddle and the Very Big Wind, his film work, and what's next--you can see what he had to say in the video below.  I also asked if he would read a passage from the book for us-- the colorful verse makes a perfect read-aloud for younger kids--and as it turns out, this was his first author reading! You can see/listen to it in the second video below.