James Rumford,
Tiger and Turtle
Roaring Brook Press, 2010.

Ages 4+

Tiger and Turtle live in the same forest and stay out of each other’s way.  They may not always agree, but they have learned there is no use arguing or fighting.  After all, “a tiger’s claws could not harm a turtle’s shell any more than a turtle’s feet could outrun a tiger’s.”  Then one day, the tiniest of flowers drifts down from the sky and changes their relationship forever.

Turtle wants to eat the flower, but Tiger has other ideas, and, while they may not be able to hurt each other (at least not very easily) they can sure fight over a flower!  For instance, Tiger can swipe at the flower and send it soaring out of Turtle’s reach.  And Turtle, once she is angry enough, learns that biting Tiger’s leg is actually pretty effective.  The two go back and forth escalating their efforts to control each other and gain the flower.  It seems as though disaster will surely befall them both, but at the last minute, we learn there was never anything to fight about as Tiger and Turtle narrowly escape a gruesome fate—together!  It is no surprise at all that after this, Tiger and Turtle move beyond mere tolerance to become the best of friends.

This gorgeous book, with a strong message about resolving conflict and the futility of fighting is, perhaps fittingly, dedicated to the author’s brother.  It is likely that the sibling relationship is the first place many children learn such lessons, and they will doubtless relate to the silliness and extremes Tiger and Turtle go to, to get their own way.  The art, inspired by Indian and Pakistan designs for shawls, rugs, and jali windows and rendered on handmade Chinese paper, is simply beautiful.  Indeed, gazing at Rumford’s warm colors, transcendent designs and the boldly drawn yet slightly dreamy Tiger and Turtle is likely to make anyone feel peaceful and at ease.  A book that can bring children to laugh, dream, calm down and think about important lessons is certainly a treasure.  Parents and children, perhaps for different reasons, will both want to reread Tiger and Turtle many times.

Abigail Sawyer
November 2011

Since my last update on this year’s PaperTigers Reading the World Challenge, we have added some great books to our list.

Together, we have read two new autobiographical picture books: Allen Say’s Drawing from Memory (Scholastic, 2011) and Ed Young’s The House Baba Built (Little, Brown and Company, 2011) – both wonderful, and I’m not going to say much more about them here as we will be featuring both of them more fully on PaperTigers soon. Those are our reading-together non-fiction books for the Challenge.

As our local book, we tried reading a book of folk tales from the North York Moors, where we live in the UK, but discovered the stories formed part of a tourist guide, including instructions for getting around… we extracted what we could but it wasn’t a very satisfactory read. It has made us not take beautifully illustrated and retold folk tales for granted!

Older Brother has read Rainbow World: Poems from Many Cultures edited by Bashabi Fraser and Debjani Chatterjee , and illustrated by Kelly Waldek (Hodder Children’s Books, 2003).  He dipped in and out of it through the summer break and we had to renew it from the library several times…

Older Brother has also been totally captivated by A Thousand Cranes: Origami Projects for Peace and Happiness. After reading the story of Sadako for the Reading Challenge way back in its first year, he’s wanted to know how to make the cranes but I have two left hands when it comes to origami – or at least I thought I did, until I received a review copy of A Thousand Cranes from Stone Bridge Press.  Recently revised and expanded from the original book by renowned origami expert Florence Temko, it’s a super little book, with good clear instructions for beginners like us, and giving background about both the offering of a thousand origami cranes as a symbol of longevity, and specifically the story of Sadako and the Thousand Cranes.  Older Brother, now that he is older, (more…)

A chee-lin is a Chinese mythological creature, “a horned beast with the body of a deer, the tail of an ox, and the hooves of a horse”. When a giraffe was brought to China from Africa in the 15th century it was considered to be a chee-lin, bringing good fortune. We learn this at the beginning of James Rumford’s beautiful picture-book Chee Lin: A Giraffe’s Journey, alongside a beautiful ink drawing by Shen Du (1357-1434) showing a contemporary portrayal of the chee-lin/giraffe. What follows is Rumford’s interpretation of Tweega the giraffe’s story, from his birth in East Africa, through his incredible journey to China and his long life in the imperial palace gardens, including the visiting artist painting his portrait, to his mysterious disappearance on a summer’s day.

You can read more about the book in Charlotte’s review for PaperTigers- I totally concur with her concluding words: “Chee-lin is superb.”  The book is visually stunning, with bordered paintings in casein on the right hand page and text on the left, set against a rich array of backgrounds reproducing “African baskets and cloth, Persian tiles and India rugs, Chinese brocades, porcelain, and cloisonné.”  At the end, there is a fabulous map showing Tweega’s journey, and an Author’s Note giving more information about Shen Du’s painting and poem, including Rumford’s own calligraphy and translation.

Chee-Lin is also one of those precious picture books written for older children.  It would make a perfect bedtime book for sharing, where children and grown-ups are taking it in turns to read; or if you’re looking for a longer readaloud to last a few days but don’t want to forgo quality illustrations: each double-page is like a chapter with its own heading and separate episode in the story. It’s also just the kind of book that children will then pick up to read again on their own.  That’s what’s just happened in our home!

Another of Rumford’s books, Rain School has recently been selected as one of our 2011 Spirit of PaperTigers book set.  Do also read our wonderful interview, in which you can find out more about Chee-Lin, and find some of the illustrations in our Gallery.

Houghton Mifflin introduced its list of books for young readers in 1937. In December of 2007 the company acquired Harcourt Education, making the combined company, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade and Reference Publishing Group the largest K-12 publisher in the world. An imprint of the company’s Children’s Book Group, Houghton Mifflin Books for Children currently publishes approximately 75-100 books a year. Ranging from picture book to young adult titles and everything in-between, its line-up of contemporary authors and illustrators includes Lois Lowry, Sy Montgomery, Claire A. Nivola, Allen Say, and more.

Kate O’Sullivan, Executive Editor at Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, answered our questions about James Rumford’s Rain School, one of the books selected for inclusion in the 2011 Spirit of PaperTigers Book Set, and about Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and the children’s publishing industry in general.

Interview by Aline Pereira, former Managing Editor of PaperTigers and currently an independent writer, editor and editorial consultant specializing in multicultural children’s books.

***

Please tell us a little bit about your path to becoming an editor.

A college course in mythology had me looking at ancillary interpretations of old texts; I came across illustrated versions of The Odyssey and Argonautica and was hooked by the merging of word and picture to relay narrative. I figured children’s books was where it’s at—not being a writer or artist myself, editor seemed like a good fit.

The publishing industry being as competitive as it is, I worked my first couple of years in college textbook publishing at St. Martin’s Press before getting through the door to children’s trade. That was thirteen years ago and I’ve never looked back!

What makes you passionate about the projects you acquire?

If I laugh, cry, or go goosebumpy, I’m sold. I’m always looking for convincing, authentic stories.

Rain School draws on the author’s experience of teaching in Chad, Africa to portray a village’s commitment to educating its children, against all odds. What first attracted you to Rain School when you first read it? Was the story already illustrated then?

Rain School is such a simple, spare story—but it packs an emotive punch. I love how it shows us that with hard work and determination, the rewards of an education can last a lifetime. And that it does this without ever feeling preachy or forced is no small feat. As with all of Jim’s projects, this one first arrived as a beautiful dummy with exuberant sketches.

Houghton Mifflin has published several of Rumford’s books.  How long have you been working with James, and how is your relationship like?

I’ve worked with Jim since his longtime editor, Amy Flynn, left Houghton in 2003. Since then we’ve worked together on Dog-of-the-Sea-Waves, Sequoyah, Beowulf, Chee-lin, and Rain School. Jim is one-of-a-kind and so are his books; he effortlessly changes his approach and art technique from project-to-project, which keeps things exciting and surprising. There isn’t anything Jim can’t do (or language he can’t speak)! He continuously outdoes himself with each new book and it’s very fun to be in his creative orbit.

Can you tell me a little bit about the actual process of bringing Rain School to life?

This manuscript was ship-shape from the beginning. The real challenge with this project was getting the color reproduction just right in proof. Luckily, the designer, Carol Goldenberg, and our production team are crackerjacks at what they do, so we knew we’d get there.

Is the editorial process of working with an author/illustrator (like Rumford) any different than the process of working with individuals who are solely writers, or solely artists?

Working with authors/illustrators can be a bit more organic and streamlined, as all the pieces are coming from the same source and it’s great to keep the creative flow between editor and creator clear and simple. But each dynamic yields its own advantages, such as the surprises that an illustrator can bring to a text written by someone else.

Can you tell us about some of the accolades Rain School has received since its publication, in October 2010?

Rain School was a Junior Library Guild Selection, garnered a starred review in Booklist, and was included in the Smithsonian Notable Books for Children 2010 list.

How long can the average picture book be expected to stay in print these days?

It’s hard to say. Houghton is known for creating picture books that appeal across generations, so while there are increased expenses now associated with warehousing slow-selling books, it’s always our intention when signing a book that it has a long, vigorous life.

Did you have a favorite book as a child?

I have clear memories of poring over Martha Sanders and Philippe Fix’s Alexander and the Magic Mouse. The artwork was luminous and the story made me want to befriend the misunderstood gator at its center. I also remember staying up late (a lot) with Black Beauty and Mrs.Frisby and the Rats of Nimh. But my hands-down favorite wasn’t discovered until high school: The Once and Future King by T.H. White.

What really excites you, or what do you think there is not enough of on the shelves at the moment?

I’ve always loved illustrated middle grade fiction. As for what I would like to see more of, I’d say literary, non-dystopian, non-supernatural YA fare.

What’s your take on the shake-up the publishing industry has been going through? Are your titles being converted to or co-published as e-books?

There’s no question that e-books are transforming the industry, not least because they’re changing our ideas about books as physical objects—and so presenting us with questions of access vs. ownership. We have a growing team at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt working on converting our books to e-formats—and tackling the unique challenges that children’s books represent in all their full-color, double-page, artful type glory.

In keeping with its position as a leading education company with a truly global network, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has recently launched The Global Education Challenge. Can you tell us about this new venture?

Everyone has an opinion about what’s wrong with the education system. The goal of HMH’s Global Education Challenge, whose submission phase is now complete and which is supported by the HMH Innovation Fund, was to provide a forum for educators, innovators, students, entrepreneurs and families to put forward their best ideas for how to transform education, inside and outside the classroom.

Ideas came from everywhere and are currently being judged by a group of experts. Prizes totaling $250,000 will be distributed among the top three winners, to be announced this month. Winners will also receive a “book allowance” for the school of their choice. You can read more about the challenge here.

I understand HMH is very committed to donating books domestically and internationally. Would you please tell us more about this?

HMH is indeed committed to donating three million books a year to under-served students who lack access to quality educational materials. With the assistance of partners like First Book, the Sabre Foundation and World Vision, it coordinates large-scale book donations, both domestically and internationally. It also gives to a wide range of organizations in the communities where it operates.

***

Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions, Kate. PaperTigers is very grateful to Houghton Mifflin for its generous discount for Rain School in support of the Spirit of PaperTigers project. Congratulations on your great work, and we wish you continued success!

To find our more about Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, visit the website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

Fanfares! Drum rolls! We are very excited to be announcing today the 2011 Spirit of PaperTigers Book Set.

They are:

A Child’s Garden: A Story of Hope by Michael Foreman (Walker Books / Candlewick Press, 2009)

Rain School by James Rumford (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010)

Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia by Jeanette Winter (Beach Lane Books, 2010)

All three are stunning picture books that were chosen for their engaging narrative and fine illustrations. By coincidence, all three are author-illustrated, something that only became evident after our choice had been made. We hope that the children participating in the Spirit of PaperTigers project will love the books as much as we do. They all encourage children to engage with big issues such as education and peace. They can, we believe, be enjoyed by a wide age range of children – an important consideration for the Spirit of PaperTigers project, as the books will also be read by older children who are learning English.

Following feedback from last year’s participant schools and libraries in the Spirit of PaperTigers Outreach project, we will be sending five copies of each of the three books that make up this year’s Book Set to each of the project’s participants. This will enable teachers to use the books more flexibly and allow for class input, as well as individual enjoyment.

To find out more about the Spirit of PaperTigers project, headover to our Outreach site, where you will find information about the Book Set gathered on one page. You will also be able to view feedback about the 2010 Book Set – and the site continues to be updated as new feedback come in.

The PaperTigers website will be featuring the SPT Book Set over the next few weeks: look out for Gallery Features of all three illustrators’ work, Q&As with the books’ editors, and more…

In the meantime, read reviews of:
A Child’s Garden: A Story of Hope
Rain School
Biblioburro: A True Story from Colombia

and enjoy these interviews with their creators:

Michael Foreman
James Rumford
Jeanette Winter

A big thank you to them and to their publishers. I’m sure you’ll agree that these are all exceptional books. We can’t wait to get them into the hands of readers around the world – we’ll keep you posted as to that, and look forward to featuring their feedback too.

Head on over to the PaperTigers website to see some examples of James Rumford‘s stunning artwork in our Gallery. James is the creator of Rain School, one of the new 2011 Spirit of PaperTigers book set. In his interview with us, one thing that James said is, “If you look at my books, the art is varied. When I write a book, I want the illustrations to reflect the story not me. Thus, I have no particular style.” Our Gallery certainly bears testimony to that – and to the virtuosity with which he expresses himself, no matter what style or medium he has adopted.

We’ll be bringing you Galleries featuring the other books in the SPT 2011 Book Set soon.

PaperTigers is pleased to announce that Rain School by James Rumford is one of the three books included in the 2011 Spirit of PaperTigers book set. For more information about the Spirit of PaperTigers Project, please click here.

James Rumford,
Rain School
Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010.

Ages: 4-8

A visual memory from his youthful Peace Corps days in Chad inspired award-winning author-illustrator James Rumford‘s Rain School. As the back flap recounts, one day on vacation during the rainy season, he and his wife Carol “came upon the mud ruins” of a primary school in the town where they were posted. The story behind that scene comprises the plot of Rumford’s fourteenth book.

Rain School begins with the “dry dirt road filling up with children” on the way to their first day of school. In the loose colorful clothing of their hot country, they share the road with little goats, couples on electric bikes, and open air businesses, like the tailor with his pedal sewing machine. At the schoolyard, first grader Thomas realizes that there is no school: no classrooms, no desks. Rumford’s spare, clean language builds atmosphere in poetic tandem with his beguiling pastel and ink illustrations:

“It doesn’t matter. Vibrant, optimistic
There is a teacher.
‘We will build our school,’
she says. ‘This is the first lesson.’”

Together the children and their teacher make mud bricks, mud walls, and mud desks, then roof the structure with straw. Wooden stools, a blackboard, and notebooks and pencils appear. Thomas and the other younger children learn their (Roman) alphabet. They study a map of “Afrique,” with landlocked Chad colored in red.

Nine months later, when the “students’ minds are fat with knowledge,” school ends for the year, and the rainy season begins.“Slowly, the school disappears until there is almost nothing left. It doesn’t matter. The letters have been learned and the knowledge taken away by the children,” who will build a school again when the rains end.

Rain School makes clear the dedication it takes for Chadians to get an education, makes their vitality and resourcefulness apparent.  At the back of the book, a large map of Africa, labeled with all the continent’s countries, provides geographic orientation. An exquisite congruence can occur when story and illustrations come from one mind; James Rumford is a master of this magic, and Rain School another great example of his skill. Children around the world will delight in this engaging story.

Charlotte Richardson
September 2011

The Jane Addams Peace Association and the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom are pleased to announce that the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award 56th Annual Award Ceremony will be held on Friday, October 16th at 2:30 PM at the 777 United Nations Plaza (2nd Floor) in New York City, NY. This event is free and open to all. Reservations are not needed.

Join us for a memorable afternoon of award presentation and responses by authors and illustrators. Come meet and talk with the honored guests, including Award winner Margarita Engle and honorees Anne Laurel Carter, Lucia Gonzalez, Lulu Delacre, Scott Reynolds Nelson, and Marc Aronson. Enjoy a reception and an opportunity for book signing after formal presentation of the awards. All the award books will be available for purchase.

The Award Winners:

Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai written and illustrated by Claire A. Nivola is the winner in the Books for Younger Children Category.

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle is the winner in the Books for Older Children Category.

The Honor Books:

Books for Younger Children:

The Storyteller’s Candle/La velita de los cuentos written by Lucía González and illustrated by Lulu Delacre

Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad written and illustrated by James Rumford

Books for Older Children:

The Shepherd’s Granddaughter by Anne Laurel Carter

Ain’t Nothing But a Man: My Quest to Find the Real John Henry by Scott Reynolds Nelson with Marc Aronson

For additional information about the Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards and a complete list of books honored since 1953, click here.

Press Release

Winners of the 2009 Jane Addams Children’s Book Awards were announced today by the Jane Addams Peace Association. Books commended by the Award address themes or topics that engage children in thinking about peace, justice, world community, and/or equality of the sexes and all races. The books also must meet conventional standards of literary and artistic excellence.

Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai, written and illustrated by Claire A. Nivola, Frances Foster Books/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, is the winner in the “Books for Younger Children” category.

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle, published by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, is the winner in the “Books for Older Children” category.

Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai profiles the first woman from Africa to win the Nobel Peace Prize (2004) (more…)

Silent Music, written and illustrated by Hawaii-based James Rumford, and published this year by Roaring Brook Press, tells the story of Ali, a soccer-loving boy in Baghdad who also practices calligraphy, just like his idol Yakut, who lived 800 years ago. When the Mongols attacked in 1258, Ali learns, Yakut fled to a high tower. “He shut out the terror and wrote glistening letters of rhythm and grace.”

So in 2003 Ali recalls the practice of his hero and also writes through nights of bombing and war. He notices how much easier it is to write the “long sweeping hooks” of the word HARB, the word for war, than it is to write the “difficult waves and slanted staffs” of SALIM, the word for peace.

Rumford’s illustrations are collage-like, and wonderful. Silent Music is a good fit with our current website focus on literacy, as is linguist and world traveler Rumford’s Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing, a 2005 Sibert Honor winner.