Great Galleys--Picture Books you won't want to miss--You Never Heard of Sandy Koufax?!

Baseball season is still months away (71 days till pitchers and catchers, but who's counting?) And before it returns, look out for this gorgeous picture book biography of the enigmatic lefty Sandy Koufax. Now, you can't tell from the image here, but the front cover is one of those animated pictures that, when you move it about, looks like it's live action. Anyone opening the book is going to get a Koufax fast ball up-close. Not quite chin music, but a cool effect to start the reading experience.

I've read this galley a number of times now, and I still can't decide what I like best, the old-timer tone of the narrator (an unamed veteran teammate of Koufax's) or the caricature style of the illustrations (think Al Hirschfeld.) When the narrator talks about the scouts sniffing around the promising young pitcher, the flow of the lines makes them look like they actually are sniffing. Fabulous! There's so much style to this book, despite the muted pallet (greys, golds, and Dodger Blue) and often unreadable expression of the hero. Of course, Koufax himself was unreadable, both as a man and as a pitcher. Although the title suggests incredulity that anyone might not know who Sandy Koufx is, he was such an intense and brief flash of brilliance, he's almost easy to miss, if one did not live during his time of dominance. I actually thought he was dead, but was put right by a brief author's note at the start of the book (and I call myself a baseball fan!) This should find a large audience, with fans of the game, non-fiction readers, and anyone drawn to the eye-catching cover. Look for it in February.

Great Galleys--Picture Books you won't want to miss--Wabi Sabi

Wabi Sabi, by Mark Reibstein, illus. by Ed. Young (due for release October 08.)

This evening I read a very clever, very ambitious picture book called Wabi Sabi. It tells the story of a cat named, well, Wabi Sabi. It also attempts to explain the concept of Wabi Sabi for a young, Western audience. I think it succeeded magnificently, and is an excellent example of how the picture book format can do so much more than simply teach readers the alphabet, or numbers, or opposites. The book reads from top to bottom, rather than left to right, so it is fair to say that this book turns the picture book on its head--literally! The effect is like reading a scroll--an ancient Japanese scroll with rich, spiritual illustrations. Illustrator Ed Young is channeling Steve Jenkins with cut paper collage that seems to stand off the page. This is a picture book for older readers, and I always think the world needs more of those! I hope Wabi Sabi finds an audience.

(While searching for a cover image of the book to post with this entry, I found this, which has been posted by the editor of the book.)

Great Galleys--Picture Books you won't want to miss

I seem to have been inundated with picture books for review over the past few weeks. Just like buses...you wait, and wait, and wait for one to arrive, and then as soon as you light a cigarette, three arrive at once. I don't actually smoke, but I have seen this theory in action, and it's true! Anyways, I've been fortunate enough to get some good ones in this recent batch and can proudly recommend:

Mr. Pusskins and Little Whiskers: another love story by Sam Lloyd
Gorgonzola: a Very Stinkysaurus by Margie Palatini and Tim Bowers, illus.
Max's Bunny Business by Rosemary Wells

There's always room for more in the Great Fictional Cats cannon (Rotten Ralph, Samson the Church Cat, Jenny Linsky, Henry the Siamese, Slinki Malinki--I could go on and on) so make space for Mr. Pusskins! His books beg the question "just where are the grown-ups?" but in the end, who cares? Mr. Pusskins is the star with Emily as his adoring friend. And now he has a new devotee, the mischievous kitten Little Whiskers.

Gorgonzola is the stinkiest dinosaur this side of the Mesozoic Era, but it's nothing a few well-placed words and a toothbrush can't fix. This "message" book about personal hygiene is funny and clever with fantastic cartoon illustrations and a few choice puns as well. Dinosaurs and B.O.--a great combination!

Max's Bunny Business is really here as an honorable mention, simply because it involves the venerable Max and Ruby who seem to have the same adventure over and over again: Ruby, industrious and focused, is sidetracked by Max, who just wants a set of vampire teeth/chocolate chicken/sparkle ring. Fortunately, they still amuse. And just who's side is Grandma on anyways? After all these years, I still can't tell.

All of these books are available May 2008.