Down the Big River by Stephen Meader

Pirates, Native Americans, capture and rescue, treasure, buffalo hunting, and even killing an attacking bear with just a knife! Now there’s a combination of exciting events for a story! 

Down the Big River by Stephen W. Meader is a story of travel, adventure, danger and rescue, and is set in the early 19^th century during the time of early westward expansion in America. 

I have 25 books by Stephen Meader. His 40 plus books are fiction, upper elementary and up reading level, and many are set in an actual historical time period. Forty-four of his books are listed on Biblioguides website! Some of his other titles include: The Black Buccaneer, Boy with a Pack, Buffalo and Beaver, Everglades Adventure, and Clear for Action. 

Stephen Meader was an American author who was born in 1892 and died in 1977. Many of his books have been reprinted. Purple House Press has recently reprinted Down the Big River, and I hope will do many more. Southern Skies has also reprinted quite a few of Meader’s titles. On the Southern Skies website, Meader is quoted as saying, “I think I developed the idea, after publishing about 20 books, that I had a mission and that mission was to cover all of America, all of the periods that were adventurous and romantic and hadn’t been written about and all the, to me, fascinating places.” Many of Meader’s books can be read on Internet Archive, and Biblioguides website gives the links for those. 

The Southern Sky website also records that “if you look over the list of Meader’s books, they cover the United States from Maine to Hawaii, Puget Sound to Florida…Meader states, ‘What I wanted to do is give children from sixth grade on a chance to open their minds to the bigness of the country and the richness of its history and that has been my aim. I think a lot of kids have developed some of that feel. They have enlarged their horizons. If I have done anything that is worthwhile in this life, that is it.’” 

Down the Big River was first published in 1924 and is historical fiction taking place in the year 1805. The story has exciting action right from the start in the first few pages with an unprovoked fight on the riverbanks near Pittsburgh as Tom Lockwood, and his aunt and uncle journey westward from their Pennsylvania farm to join friends living in Missouri. 

As they made their way down the Ohio River, his family is taken captive by river pirates. With the help of his faithful dog Cub and some friends he meets along the way, Tom, who escaped, sets out to rescue them with courage, determination, and a little bit of luck.

For those of you who might read this aloud to your family, It would be fun to get out a US map and trace their journey to combine fiction with geography. 

Of course, Tom and his friend Andy, a younger boy he meets, are the “good guys,” and those rough mean river pirates are decidedly evil. And the “good guys” win! The story also has some Native American characters and although they are stereotyped with the typical verbal response of “how” in greeting, they are definitely sided with the Tom and Andy to outwit the river pirates. The Shawnees are there to help at key times. 

Even Daniel Boone makes an appearance, entering the story at an important point. He speaks to Tom and Andy of the future of America. He passes the dream, the excitement of the journey that lies ahead, and the baton of exploration to these two young men in this poignant moment: 

And I quote,  “The old man rose and spread his great arms to the east and west. A light was on his face brighter than the glow of the fire. ‘The people that have come to live in these valleys,’ he said, are own kin to the folks back in Virginny an’ New England an’ the rest o’ the states—brothers, sisters an’ cousins. Some came an’ some stayed. An’ all this land, from the Lakes down to the Gulf is ours – America. It can be – it’s goin’ to be the greatest country in the world.’ The stern light left his eyes as he concluded. He returned to sit once more between Andy and Tom.. ‘Ye see,’ he said, after a little, ‘I’m getting’ along past the age when I’ll see much o’ this myself. Reckon I wasn’t cut out fer that sort o’ livin’ anyhow. But you boys’ll see it, an’ be part of it. So, Andy, that’s why I say you’re right to go East an’ git some schooolin’. But, ‘went on the white-haired hunter, “ye needn’t to worry about that yet awhile. Come fall, ye kin go down to New Orleans, an’ git aboard a packet bound for Baltimore or Philadelphy, an’ make the whole trip in less’n a month. An’ long ‘fore the time comes to start, ye’ll be a full-fledged Missourian. ‘You boys have got some great sights ahead o’ ye,’ he chuckled. “There’ll be the ol’ He-River, runnin’ a couple o’ miles wide, slow an’ yaller. An’ you’ll go up, polin along for days on end. An’l you’ll see prairie, stretchin’ away, green an’ rollin’ without a sign of a tree, clear to the far ridge. You’ll shoot your first buffalo, an’ watch the herds of ‘em run, with their tails up an’ their heads to the groun an’ their eyes shut, while the earth shakes. ‘Yes,’ he repeated, a trifle sadly, ‘you’ll see a heap o’ things. Wish I was your age, an’ goin’ with ye.’” 

I can highly recommend Meader’s books, especially for boys in those middle school years. The Southern Skies website tells that “by the time Meader finished his last novel in 1969, the world of the 1970s youth literature involved sex, drugs and more contemporary subject matter. Harcourt indicated that they would not be publishing any additional Meader novels, and Meader decided that he didn’t really want to try to change his style to match the times. According to his son John, “He did some writing for the Cape May Historical Society, but that was about all. By then, he was well into his seventies and content to relax and read.” 

Biblioguides website quotes Chesley Howard Looney in her dissertation Stephen W. Meader: His Contributions to American Children’s Literature, “Values that Meader expressed in his books, such as self-reliance, patriotism, courage, doing the right thing, working diligently, loyalty, community, free enterprise and entrepreneurialism, and taking care of oneself and one’s family, are important in American society.” 

And I can say that all those themes are present in Meader’s book, Down the Big River.

 

 Caldecott Medal and Honor Books 2015

Caldecott Medal Book: The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend – Dan Santat

From the dust jacket: This magical story begins on an island far away where an imaginary friend is born. He patiently waits his turn to be chosen by a real child, but when he is overlooked time and again, he sets off on an incredible journey to the bustling city, where he finally meets his perfect match and – at long last – is given his special name: Beekle. Award-winning author and illustrator Dan Santat combines classic storytelling with breathtaking art, creating an unforgettable tale about friendship, imagination, and the courage to find one’s place in the world. 

You can listen to the book read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1DEvJKPgbo

Or listen to the author read his book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g29lOWkAKjQ

The book is available on Kindle and Audible. 

You can listen to an interview with the author here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZF5Sbsri78 

Author/Illustrator Dan Santat is an American-born son of immigrant parents. He was born in Brooklyn, NY, and then moved to California at a young age. He studied in college for a career in biology, but then made a career switch to art and attended the Art Center College of Design. In 2006, he was the creator of the Disney channel show “The Replacements,” and is also a commercial artist for such big corporations as Macy’s and The Wall Street Journal. This book, The Adventures of Beekle, was his third book for children. He went on to write and illustrate others including Are We There Yet? And After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again. Also, he has collaborated with other authors to illustrate their books. 

My opinion: Santat’s illustrations for this book are done with great variety in pencil, crayon, watercolor, ink, and photoshop, and the text is hand-lettered. The illustrations are appropriately imaginative to match the story well. The imaginary friend waits and waits but is never chosen to be someone’s friend. What child hasn’t felt sad about that at some point in his life? He then decides to set out on his own to find a friend and eventually reaches the real world. He experiences all new things, searches and searches, and finally finds a friend. He gets a new name, Beekles, and off they go to explore the world together. This book is perfect for very young children, many of whom have an imaginary friend; perhaps a toy bear, or a Lego man, or some other character toy. This book displays the value of friendship and the delight that friends bring to life when shared together. Did you have an imaginary friend when you were little?

Caldecott Honor Books

Nana in the City – written and illustrated by Lauren Castillo

From the dust jacket: A boy visits his nana at her new home in the city. The city is busy and loud and filled with scary things. But a special gift from Nana makes the boy feel brave and transforms the city into something . . . extraordinary.

 From the Amazon description: In this magical picture book, a young boy spends an overnight visit with his nana and is frightened to find that the city where she lives is filled with noise and crowds and scary things.

But then Nana makes him a special cape to help him be brave, and soon the everyday sights, sounds, and smells of the city are not scary—but wonderful. The succinct text is paired with watercolor illustrations that capture all the vitality, energy, and beauty of the city.

 

You can listen to the book read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-KSOBf55jk

 

You can listen to an interview with the author/illustrator here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7rhbIRP5PE

 

Author/Illustrator Lauren Castillo is an American artist. She has collaborated with other authors on other picture books. Lauren writes and illustrates especially for very young children and loves to write and illustrate books of childhood memories. Her drawings are made with thick heavy lines and then painted with watercolor. Lauren even sprinkles the paint with salt to create texture. That would be fun to try at home! She has lived in the city and loved it so her illustrations here come from personal experience. Her website is: https://www.laurencastillo.com Her website even has downloadable activity sheets and coloring sheets for some of her books. I’ve requested several more of her more recent books from my public library to enjoy. Twenty Yawns sounds delightful! And the Hedgehog short chapter books. 

My opinion: This story portrays such a sweet, sensitive relationship between a grandmother and her grandson. She is not too busy to truly recognize and understand his fears of all the new aspects of city life and makes him a red cape to help him be brave. What little child doesn’t feel like a superhero when wearing a cape! I, too, am a grandmother with grandsons and actually live with three of them. I remember one night during a heavy thunderstorm having one of the grandsons come tearing downstairs in great fear to me. I held him, calmed him down, talked about the storm, and got him back to bed. This book will be enjoyed by both little ones facing new circumstances as well as by grandmothers. The text is short and simple and just right for very young children. I highly recommend it. If you enjoy this book, you might also like Last Stop on Market Street by Matt De La Pena. 

The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art - written by Barb Rosenstock and illustrated by Mary Grandpre.

 From the dust jacket:  Vasya Kandinsky was a proper little boy: he studied bookfuls of math and history, he practiced the piano, he sat up straight and was perfectly polite. And when his family sent him to art classes, they expected him to paint pretty houses and flowers—like a proper artist.

But as Vasya opened his paint box and began mixing the reds, the yellows, the blues, he heard a strange sound—the swirling colors trilled like an orchestra tuning up for a symphony! And as he grew older, he continued to hear brilliant colors singing and see vibrant sounds dancing. But was Vasya brave enough to put aside his proper still lifes and portraits and paint...music?

In this exuberant celebration of creativity, Barb Rosenstock and Mary GrandPré tell the fascinating story of Vasya Kandinsky, one of the very first painters of abstract art. Throughout his life, Kandinsky experienced colors as sounds, and sounds as colors—and bold, groundbreaking works burst forth from his noisy paint box.

From the Amazon description: Vasya Kandinsky was a proper little boy: he studied math and history, he practiced the piano, he sat up straight and was perfectly polite. And when his family sent him to art classes, they expected him to paint pretty houses and flowers—like a proper artist.
 
But as Vasya opened his paint box and began mixing the reds, the yellows, the blues, he heard a strange sound—the swirling colors trilled like an orchestra tuning up for a symphony! And as he grew older, he continued to hear brilliant colors singing and see vibrant sounds dancing. But was Vasya brave enough to put aside his proper still lifes and portraits and paint . . . music?
 
In this exuberant celebration of creativity, Barb Rosenstock and Mary GrandPré tell the fascinating story of Vasily Kandinsky, one of the very first painters of abstract art. Throughout his life, Kandinsky experienced colors as sounds, and sounds as colors—and bold, groundbreaking works burst forth from his noisy paint box.
 
Backmatter includes four paintings by Kandinsky, an author’s note, sources, links to websites on synesthesia and abstract art.

 

You can listen to the book read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDY5S6mD_Ek

 

You can see the book’s story dramatized very creatively here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHBWlxQB3-w

 

Kandinsky’s art can be explored here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGq1IsgQHAs

 

Barb Rosenstock, an American author of children’s books, has written many award-winning picture books. Most of them are picture book biographies. You can see the list here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Barb-Rosenstock/author/B003ECSCII?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

And you can read an interview with her here: https://judaicainthespotlight.com/meet-the-author-barb-rosenstock/

 

Mary Grandpre, the illustrator of The Noisy Paint Box, is an American who is perhaps most well-known for her illustrations in the Harry Potter books. She has also worked on the art for Blue Sky Studios’ film “Ice Age.” You can read more about her and her artwork here: http://www.marygrandpre.com/

 

My opinion: This book presents such an interesting look at the early life and eventual notoriety of Vasily Kandinsky and his art. Some believe he may have had a genetic condition called synesthesia, in which  one sense connects with another to “hear colors, see music, taste words, or smell numbers.” (Author’s note in the book). This concept was so interesting to me because my oldest daughter once had a piano student who associated colors with specific musical tones. Kandinsky was a Russian-born who was first a lawyer and economics professor. He once saw an exhibition of Monet’s paintings. While listening to Wagner’s opera Lohengrin, he saw colors as he listened. He first painted an abstract painting in 1910 which “sparked a revolution in the art world.” (Author’s note in the book)

 

I am not really a fan of abstract art, perhaps because I don’t really understand it, but I do recommend this book because of the influence of synesthesia on his work. Such a fascinating concept! Do you know anyone with that capability? If you like this book, then you might also enjoy Blue Rider, by Geraldo Valerio. Kandinsky was the founder of the art group Blue Rider of Germany.

Viva Frida, written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales.

 From the dust jacket: A young woman searches. She sees. She explores. And finally, she creates. With spare, polished text and luscious illustrations, award-winning author/illustrator Yuyi Morales explores the passionate, imaginative life of the incomparable Frida Kahlo.

 

From the Amazon description: Distinguished author/illustrator Yuyi Morales illuminates Frida's life and work in this elegant and fascinating book, Viva Frida. Frida Kahlo, one of the world's most famous and unusual artists is revered around the world. Her life was filled with laughter, love, and tragedy, all of which influenced what she painted on her canvases.

 

You can listen to the book being read here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj4EKvbla5s&t=62s

 

You can watch a video about how the author/illustrator, Yuyi Mirales, created the illustrations for this book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mu8mZLmewI

 

You can watch a video here as Morales talks about this book and reads it aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bOOVA32z7c

 

Yuyi Morales is a Mexican-born artist. She hosts a Spanish-language radio program for children. Her artwork reflects her heritage with flamboyant, colorful illustrations. When she emigrated to the United States with her little son, she discovered the public library, and as she read to her son, she learned English right alongside him as he and grew and his language skills developed. Yuyi is a six-time recipient of the prestigious Pura Belpré award, and the first Latina to receive a Caldecott honor for her book, Viva Frida, in 2015. (From https://www.nccil.org/yuyi-morales).

 

My opinion: Yuyi does a lovely job of portraying the story of the life of the Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo whose husband was also an artist and muralist Diego Rivera. The book’s text is very simple and is written in both Spanish and English. While I don’t personally care for Morales’ illustrations, I do understand her purpose here and appreciate the honor she gives to the life of Frida Kahlo. As always, I like the picture book biographies that are being written in our current time and am gladly adding them to my library. Also, for those families studying art, why not gain some knowledge of those artists from Mexico and other countries, not just those from Europe in times long ago. And for any family learning about Mexico, this book adds more to the understanding of the country’s culture. 

Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, written by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

From the dust jacket: Sam and Dave are digging a hole, and they will not stop until they find something spectacular.

 

From the Amazon description: With perfect pacing, the multi-award-winning, New York Times best-selling team of Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen dig down for a deadpan tale full of visual humor.

Sam and Dave are on a mission. A mission to find something spectacular. So they dig a hole. And they keep digging. And they find . . . nothing. Yet the day turns out to be pretty spectacular after all. Attentive readers will be rewarded with a rare treasure in this witty story of looking for the extraordinary — and finding it in a manner you’d never expect.

 

You can listen to the book being read here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMkScC4Vu5c

 

You can read more about the author and the reviews of this book here: https://www.macbarnett.com/sam-dave-dig-a-hole/

 

Mac Barnett is an American author of many picture books, as well as the Brixton Brothers series of mysteries, The Terrible Two series, Mac B: Kid Spy series, as well as other short fiction. As a child, he dreamed of becoming an author. He loved picture books and his mother kept his collection of picture books on his shelves even after he “outgrew’ them. Because of that, he read picture books all through his life. His favorite picture book authors are Ruth Krauss, Arnold Lobel, Margaret Wise Brown and Maurice Sendak. His books have an interesting quirkiness to them which he says children love. In his view, children understand that life is not all tied up sweetly, and his books reflect this. He has received many honors and awards for his books including E.B. White Read-Aloud Award, New York Times Best Seller, New York Times Notable Book, PBS Best Picture Bok of 2014, Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of 2014, Kirkus Best Book of 2014, and a Junior Library Guild Selection, along with many others. He collaborated with Jon Klassen on Sam & Dave Dig a Hole and also on another on Caldecott Honor book, Extra Yarn.

 

“Jon Klassen grew up in Niagara Falls, Canada, and now lives in Los Angeles, California. He is the author and illustrator of the picture book I Want My Hat Back as well as the illustrator of Cat’s Night Out by Caroline Stutson and the middle-grade series The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place by Maryrose Wood. He also created the concept art for Coraline, the stop-motion animated film based on the book by Neil Gaiman.” (from the dust jacket of Extra Yarn) You can read more about him and see his art here: https://www.imjonklassen.com/

 

My opinion: One of the true tests of a picture book is how children respond to it. In this case, my four-year-old grandson loved it and wanted it read over and over. Sam and Dave? Are they brothers, twins, or friends? They set out to dig a deep hole. They dig and dig and dig. And their dog digs with them. The illustrations are done with a cross-section view of their hole, created digitally and in colored pencil in soft tones. The reader can see a large diamond gem that Sam and Dave keep missing as their digging changes course just at the wrong time. They eat chocolate milk and animal crackers. Wouldn’t it be fun to serve those while reading this book to a child? At the end, the boys are in their home again. How? Or were they dreaming? Let your child decide. 

 

The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus, written by Jen Bryant and illustrated Melissa Sweet

From the dust jacket: If only all the ideas in the world could be found in one place, then everyone would have one book where they could find the best word, the one that really fit. Peter carried this idea with him like a secret treasure. The story of Peter Mark Roget, creator of Roget's Thesaurus, one of the most widely used reference books ever published, is presented in this delightful picture book biography by award-winning author and illustrator Jen Bryant and Melissa Sweet. Their previous collaborations include the Caldecott Honor book A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams (Eerdmans) and A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin (Knopf), winner of the NCTE Orbis Pictus Award.

From the Amazon description: For shy young Peter Mark Roget, books were the best companions – and it wasn’t long before Peter began writing his own book. But he didn’t write stories; he wrote lists. Peter took his love for words and turned it to organizing ideas and finding exactly the right word to express just what he thought. His lists grew and grew, eventually turning into one of the more important reference books of all time. Readers of all ages will marvel at Roget’s life, depicted through lyrical text and brilliantly detailed illustrations. This elegant book celebrates the joy of learning and the power of word.

You can listen to the book being read aloud here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRB1bkZYytE

You can read about the author here and listen to an interview with her: https://www.jenbryant.com/about/ab_jen01.html

Jen Bryant, the author, is American-born and writes picture books, poetry, and novels for children and young people. Her poetry has appeared in Highlights magazine and she has won various literary awards. This book, The Right Word, not only won the Caldecott Honor Book award, but also the Robert F. Sibert Medal, an award for the best informational book published each year for children.

Melissa Sweet, the illustrator, has illustrated over 100 books for children. You can read an interview with her here: https://www.melissasweet.net/about. She illustrates with watercolor, mixed media and collage, which is beautifully done in The Right Word and seems to delightfully correspond with the topic of Roget’s life and his many lists of words.

My opinion: I am a list-maker so I totally “get” Roget. I, too, have loved words since I was little, and the thesaurus was a book used many times in our homeschool days as I taught my own children to write. During the years when I taught English/Language Arts in schools, I would have my students help me make lists of synonyms for good, said, and other nondescriptive words. I thoroughly enjoyed The Right Word and learning about Roget’s childhood tendencies and how they blossomed into such a powerful tool still used today, albeit now on the computer at the click of a button. I have several other books by Jen Bryant, all wonderful picture book biographies: Georgia’s Bones, about Georgia O’Keefe, A River of Words, about William Carlos Williams, and Abe’s Fish, about Abraham Lincoln. I can highly recommend The Right Word as well as the others that I personally own and lend from my library, and I will definitely be on the lookout for more by her.

This One Summer, written by Jillian Tamaki and illustrated by Mariko Tamaki

 From the dust jacket: Rose and her parents have been going to Awago Beach since she was a little girl. It’s her summer getaway, her refuge. Her friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had, completing her summer family. But this summer is different. Rose’s mom and dad won’t stop fighting, and Rose and Windy have gotten tangled up in a tragedy-in-the-making in the small town of Awago Beach. It’s a summer of secrets and heartache, and it’s a good thing Rose and Windy have each other. In This One Summer, cousins Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki, the team behind the award-winning Skim, redefine the teen graphic novel. Gorgeous, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful, This One Summer is a vibrant view into girlhood and growing up. 

From the Amazon description: Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach. It's their getaway, their refuge. Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. One of the local teens - just a couple of years older than Rose and Windy - is caught up in something bad... Something life threatening. It's a summer of secrets, and sorrow, and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other. This One Summer is a tremendously exciting new teen graphic novel from two creators with true literary clout. Cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, the team behind Skim, have collaborated on this gorgeous, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about a girl on the cusp of childhood - a story of renewal and revelation. 

Awards: The New York Times Bestseller; 2015 Michael L. Printz Honor Book; An Eisner Award Winner; and the 2015 Caldecott Honor Award.

You can listen to an interview with the author and illustrator here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODS7znhendE&t=14s 

Author: Mariko Tamaki is a Canadian writer and performer. In addition to her celebrated graphic novel Skim, co-created with Jillian Tamaki, she has also published several works of prise fiction and nonfiction, including the young adult novel (You) set Me on Fire. Mariko’s short film, Happy 16^th Birthday, Kevin, premiered at the Inside Out Festival in Toronto in May 2013.  (quoted from the book cover). You can visit her blog here: marikotamaki.blogspot.com 

Illustrator: Jillian Tamaki is a Canadian illustrator and comics artist living in Brooklyn, New York. She is the creator of two books of personal works (including Skim, with Mariko Tamaki) and the ongoing webcomic, SuperMutant Magic Academy. (quoted from the book cover). You can visit her website here: jilliantamaki.com

My Opinion: While there are positive themes in this book like friendships, coming-of-age, and a child’s view of parent problems, I will not be adding this book to my lending library, nor can I recommend it. I personally feel the content is inappropriate, especially as it is recommended for ages 9 to 12. The story line includes a lot of sexual content and crude language. If the book was chosen as a Caldecott Honor book, which is the award given for the best illustrated books published in a given year, I can understand with the growth of graphic novels, the board’s decision to include a graphic novel. Always in the past, however, the award has been given to honor children’s picture books so I am surprised and kind of shocked that a book with this content was chosen.