FolktaleWeek—Rebel

THE GIANT’S DAUGHTER is a Norwegian tale adapted from WEIRD TALES OF THE NORTHERN SEAS (1903), edited by Jonas Lie and trans. by R. Nisbet Bain.

"The Giant's Daughter" doesn't listen or follow the rules; even worse she never plans to marry!

FolktaleWeek—Star

POOR LITTLE RICH Girl, Polish tale told by Mary Joslin.

“Zuzia was a merchant’s daughter, she was both rich and pretty.” But she was also ill-tempered, unhappy and lacked friends. Her old nurse recommends she seek guidance from the wise old woman who lives on the mountain. Eventually, Zuzia goes and along the way gives up all her prized possessions. In doing so, her generosity make new friends. She returns home with nothing, but realizes she is truly happy because she was kind to others.

FOLKTALEWEEK—TREE

MAGPIES IN THE CRABTREE, or “The Pynots in the Crabtree” by Sidney Oldall Addy (1895), Norton, England.

FOLKTALE WEEK —Fool

DWARFNOSE is a German folktale by Wilhelm Hauff. It was also adapted by Andrew Lang in the VIOLET FAIRY BOOK. I lived in Germany right after college for several years but I didn’t see any Herbwitches. The German town my husband comes from, has a midieval tower similar to the one I painted, except it leans. Pisa, Italy isn’t the only town with a leaning tower. This art is in my older painting style but I still love the witch character.

The old lady with a crooked nose, Herb-wise lures the young boy to her home and keeps him prisoner. A mouse lives in her wig, and uses a ladder to climb up top. She turns the cabbages into heads and uses guinea pigs and squirrels as servants. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwarf_Nose

Kidlitartpostcard - November 2022

Happy #kidlitartpostcard day! I'm Alicia, and I love to illustrate books for all ages, kids through adult. Please send me your #PB #MG #YA projects. #halloweencostume #amillustrating #illustrationart #kidlitart http://linktr.ee/AliciaSchwab

This past month I traveled with my parents to southern Arizona to help them with their day-to-day activities and fixing things around the house. We come from pretty hearty stock but it never to late to ask for help.

Reading Wednesdays

I’m reading for research. Look at the #libraryloot I’ve been hauling to the studio! Can you guess which one of these books is a biography?

I support #FReadom (pushing back against book banning).

THE QUICKEST KID IN CLARKSVILLE, by Pat Zietlow Miller; illustrated by Frank Morrison
SHY WILLOW, by Cat Min
DINOSAURS DON’T HAVE BEDTIMES!, by Timothy Knapman; illustrated by Nikki Dyson
GO TO SCHOOL, LITTLE MONSTER, by Helen Kettleman; illustrated Bonnie Leick

Reading Wednesdays

Picture books in German

Das Märchenbuch zum Vorlesen (Fairytales to Read Aloud), by Catrin Frischer and Karsten Teich

Hase und Bär (Rabbit and Bear), by Ute Krause (a flap book)

Der allerbeste Gütenacht-Kuss (A Goodnight Kiss), by Nanda Roep and Marijke ten Cate

Eins-zwei-drei, kleine Hexe, flieg herbei! (One-two-three, Little Witch Flies By!) by Risemarie Künzler-Behncke and Betina Gotzen-Beek

Der kleine Maus, die süße rote Erdbeere und der Dicke Hungrige Bär (The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe Strawberry and the Big, Hungry Bear), by Don and Audrey Wood

READING WEDNESDAYS

BEAR!!!

THE MUKLUK BALL, Katherine Johnson / Alicia Schwab (That’s me!) A black bear wants to go to the annual Mukluk Ball in town, but first he needs some boots and dancing lessons with the locals.

STRONG AS A BEAR, Katrin Stangl. Originally printed in Germany. Each page shows kids being compared to animals, “Free as a bird, Quick as a hare...” Because children are surprisingly wonderful.

BOOM SNOT TWITTY THIS WAY THAT WAY, Doreen Cronin / Renata Liwska. Which way is the best way?

THOSE PESKY RABBITS, Ciara Flood. Will Bear enjoy any peace and quiet after the Rabbits move in next door?

HECTOR AND HUMMINGBIRD,Nocholas John Frith. Hummingbird loves Hector. Hummingbird wants to share everything with Hector. How does Hector cope with this?

Reading Wednesdays

It’s spring and all about BUGS AND NATURE. Look at the #libraryloot I’ve been hauling to the studio! The theme this week is: “nature”.

TEENY TINY TOADY, by Jill Esbaum; illustrated by Keika Yamaguchi
CRICKET IN THE THICKET: POEMS ABOUT BUGS, by Carol Murray; illustrated by Melissa Sweet
THE HONEYBEE, by Kirsten Hall ;illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
THE GOLD LEAF, by Kirsten Hall; illustrated by Matthew Forsythe

READING WEDNESDAYS

The SEA is a magical, beautiful place that inspired these books.

HAND OVER HAND, Alma Fullerton/ Renné Benoit

BEACH HOUSE, Deanna Caswell/ Amy June Bates

YELLOW KAYAK, Nina Laden/ Melissa Castrillon

SWASBY AND THE SEA, Beth Ferry / Juana Martinez-Neal

SWEET DREAMS, Jewel / Amy June Bates

READING WEDNESDAYS

Babies, babies and more babies!

ONE NAKED BABY: COUNTING TO TEN AND BACK AGAIN, Maggie Smith. Bouncy text and counting up to ten.

WHEN’S MY BIRTHDAY?, Julie Foliano / Christian Robinson. Anticipating the riotous celebration of candles and cake is difficult for little one. When’s my birthday?

UH-OH!, Shut Crum / Patrice Barton. Delightful picture and sparse text capture the joy of toddler expressions. Uh-OH!

BUSTER AND THE BABY, Amy Hest / Polly Dunbar. All day long, Buster and the baby play chase until it is time for bed.

RUTABAGA BOO!, Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen / Bonnie Adamson. A reassuring back and forth between a mother and son about being together even when they are apart.

OLD DOG BABY BABY, Julie Fogliano / Chris Raschka. An artfully simple, joyful book about an old dog and a baby.

LITTLES AND HOW THEY GROW, Kelly DiPucchio / AG Ford. A love song to babies and how they quickly grow up.

BUMPETY, DUNKETY, THUMPETY-THUMP! K. L. Going / Simone Shin. Ride along on a bumpety-thumpety all-around wonderful day!

READING WEDNESDAYS

The Forest

These books are close to my heart because I grew up in the woods in southern Wisconsin.

ZONIA’S RAIN FOREST, Juana Martinez-Neal. Zonia’s home is in the rain forest. Every morning it joyfully calls to her until one day, it calls in distress.

FATIMA’S GREAT OUTDOORS, Ambreen Tariq / Stevie Lewis. A story of an immigrant family’s first camping trip to a local state park and their affection for the great outdoors.

LIGHTS ON WONDER ROCK, David Litchfield. When a UFO lands in the woods behind Heather’s house a chance meeting with an alien offers her a chance to discover new worlds—but she eventually realizes everything she needs is back on earth.

READING WEDNESDAYS

FOOD & COOKING

SECOND BANANA, Blair Thornburgh / Kate Berube. During the annual nutrition pageant Second Banana feels rotten. She doesn’t want to be the second banana. She wants to be the ONLY banana!

HOW ARE YOU PEELING?: FOOD WITH MOODS, Saxton Freeman and Joost Elffers. This book of photos delights in the unusual shapes our food comes in that remind us of people.

TOMATOES FOR NEELA, Padma Lakshmi and Juana Martinez-Neal. Neela loves to cook with her amma. This book lovingly affirms how we connect through food to other cultures and to our own.

TALLULAH IN THE KITCHEN, Nancy Wolff. Tallulah is a cat who loves to cook. She makes pancakes for Freddie, Roxy and Flapjack.

Reading Wednesdays

FAIRY TALES

It’s March and I’ve been reading for research. Look at the #libraryloot I’ve been hauling to the studio!

I support #FReadom (pushing back against book banning).

CINDERELLA SKELETON, by Robert D. San Souci; illustrated by David Catrow
ELEPHANT IN THE DARK, by Mina Javaherbin;illustrated by Eugene Yelchin
PRINCESA AND THE PEA, by Susan Middleton Elya; illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal
FIONA’S LUCK, by Teresa Bateman; illustrated by Kelly Murphy

READING WEDNESDAYS

ANIMALS: FUR, FIN, & FEATHER

WHAT TO DO IF AN ELEPHANT STANDS ON YOUR FOOT, Michelle Robinson / Peter H. Reynolds. Safari Etiquette can be tricky.

DREAM, Matthew Cordell. Follow a gorilla family as they imagine their baby’s future.

HELLO, Ye-shil Kim/ Pauline Comis. One by one each animal greets the next; but when lamb greets pig he stays fast asleep, that is, until lamb calls the others to shout, “HELLO PIG!”.

LITTLE FOX IN THE SNOW, Jonathan London / Daniel Miyares. Inspired by “Foxalito” a poem by Gene Person, a young red fox explores on a snowy winter’s day.

WALRUS IN MY BED!, Ciara Flood. Sleeping for the first time in a big-boy bed is no easy feat, especially if there’s a walrus in your bed!

SQUIDS WILL BE SQUIDS: Fresh Morals-Beastly Fables, Jon Scieszka / Lane Smith. Twisted fairy tales.

Reading Wednesdays

Humor! LOL

Looking for a laugh-out-loud book? The theme this week is “humor”. These books will tickle your funny bone.

I’m always reading for research. #libraryloot.

BEWARE THE MONSTER, by Michaël Escoffier; illustrated by Amandine Piu
THAT STINKS!, by Alan Katz; illustrated by Stephen Gilpin
GREAT, NOW WE’VE GOT BARBARIANS, by Jason Carter Eaton; illustrated by Mark Fearing
BONAPARTE FALLS APART, by Margery Cuyler; illustrated by Will Terry

Reading Wednesdays

Middle grade and Graphic Novels:

Tuesday, August 9th is National Book Lovers Day. I am a sucker for picture books but this week, I switched to reading older books for my reading-for-research series. And check out my middle grade written by A. G. Roberts. https://www.aliciaschwab.com/books#/lite/ #libraryloot

ONE TRICK PONY, by Nathan Hale;
THE SOMEWHAT TRUE ADVENTURE OF SAMMY SHINE, by Henry Cole
THE NOTEBOOK OF DOOM (SERIES): SNEEZE OF THE OCTO-SCHNOZZ, by Troy Cummings

by A. G. Roberts and Alicia Schwab

Reading Wednesdays

Here are two books about the beginning of school told from completely different perspectives.

Planet Kindergarten: 100 Days in Orbit by Sue Ganz-Schmitt and illustrations by Shane Prigmore

“A young child imagines kindergarten as a mission in space, with his fellow kindernauts, and this is their one hundredth day.” What a fun twist on the new school year.

MY FIRST DAY by Phúng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên. “This is no ordinary first day. The rainy season has come to Mekong Delta, and An, a young Vietnamese boy, sets out alone in a wooden boat…”