Samuel E. Pittman II

Author: Trudy Ludwig

Illustrator: Patrice Barton

Genre: Fiction Picture Book

Prime Audiences: Children Struggling to Make Friends

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Publication Year: 2013

 

Brian feels invisible— invisible to his peers and even his teacher.  But when a new student named Justin joins Mrs. Carlotti's class, Brian uses his artistic talent to make him feel welcome.  And in return, Justin reciprocates with friendship and helps everyone truly see Brian.

 

Trudy Ludwig and Patrice Barton's The Invisible Boy is a quiet call and applause for kindness and friendship.  The story begins with the narrator asking the reader, "Can you see Brian, the invisible boy?"— Brian is symbolically colored in black and white, while the other characters are in full color, and as the narrative unfolds and Brian finds friendship, he becomes fully colored too.

 

Children who feel themselves to be invisible will enjoy this book and be encouraged to themselves take the first step towards making friends, and children who are able to notice the "invisible" peers around them will be encouraged to reach out to those peers and prove that somebody does indeed "see" them.

 

 

Like this pick?  Then share it with a fellow reader!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO PITTMAN PICKS!

 

Author: Trinka Hakes Noble

Illustrator: Nicole Tadgell

Genre: Historical Fiction Picture Book

Prime Audiences: Children Interested in Sports and History

Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press

Publication Year: 2019

 

Lots of important and serious things are happening in Gordy's life in Detroit: the Great Depression has cost his father his job; there's a new kid at school whom Gordy befriends but who's also picked on; there is "talk of war with Nazi Germany"; and Joe Louis will fight Max Schmeling again for the heavyweight title.  What will be the outcome of the many battles going on around him?

 

A Fist for Joe Louis and Me is a story about friendship and courage, set against the backdrop of one of history's most important sporting events, the rematch between heavyweight champion Joe Louis and Germany's Max Schmeling.  Trinka Hakes Noble's protagonist, Gordy, and his friend Ira are likeable boys that navigate the times together, and the other people in their lives shape them in subtle and not so subtle ways.  Nicole Tadgell's illustrations don't fill each page but instead use white space and muted settings to amplify each moment of the story— the characters and their actions are always in the forefront and spotlight.  The book concludes with an insightful author's note that informs the reader about Joe Louis and the significance of he and Schmeling's second fight and their surprising friendship.

 

Children who root for the underdog and the good at heart will enjoy the book, along with parents and grandparents who are boxing aficionados and history buffs.  This book is a winner!

 

 

Like this pick?  Then share it with a fellow reader!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO PITTMAN PICKS!

 

Author: Ralph Fletcher

Illustrator: Jennifer Emery

Genre: Poetry Collection / Fiction Narrative in Verse

Prime Audiences: Children Experiencing a Move

Publisher: Wordsong

Publication Year: 2006

 

When you're twelve years old and have a group of friends and a home you've known all of your life, the words "We're going to move to Ohio" are devastating to Fletch, and not even a new Diamondback mountain bike can change his mood in that moment.  But moving day finally arrives, and his family's new home and their new neighbors will become a part of his life just like his old home and friends back in Massachusetts.

 

Moving Day is a collection of Ralph Fletcher's poems that chronicles the move of Fletch and his family from Massachusetts to Ohio.  Written in first person point of view and in free verse form, the majority of the poems are about the leadup to the move and the move itself; the collection ends with the first few days of Fletch acclimating to his new home.  Many of the poems are accompanied by an illustration by Jennifer Emery, matching the events in the poem.  Fletch's tone leading up to the move is somber, of course, but the final poems have an accepting and hopeful tone. 

 

Children (and parents and grandparents) who are in the midst of a move will enjoy the honesty of the poems and will be encouraged by Fletch's acclimation to his new home at the end.

 

Like this pick?  Then share it with a fellow reader!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO PITTMAN PICKS!

 

Author: R.C. Sproul

Illustrator: Justin Gerard

Genre: Fiction Picture Book

Prime Audiences: Children Learning about Faith in Jesus Christ

Publisher: Reformation Trust

Publication Year: 2006

 

"Mommy?  Why am I afraid of the dark?"  This is Charlie Cobb's question to his mother after she turns on his night light at bedtime, a question Mommy allows Grandpa to answer.  But when Charlie presents the same question to Grandpa, he responds with "…many people are afraid of the light," leading to Grandpa's story about the lightlings, who disobey the King of Light, their creator.  But even after they flee him and dwell in darkness, the King of Light sends them a light to redeem them.

 

Written by the late Dr. R.C. Sproul, pastor and founder of Ligonier Ministries, and illustrated by Justin Gerard, The Lightlings is an allegory of man's fall in the garden of Eden, God's love for fallen man whom He created, and the sending of His Son, Jesus Christ, for our redemption.  Gerard's illustrations use light and dark tones that skillfully match the plot of Sproul's narrative, giving the book a feel of wonder and comfort.  There are thirteen questions with Bible Scriptures provided for answers that parents can use to discuss the spiritual truths presented in the book. 

 

By year of publication, The Lightlings precedes Sproul and Gerard's book The Prince's Poison Cup, which is also an allegory about man's fall and Christ's work of salvation.  And like The Prince's Poison Cup, The Lightlings is also an excellent primer for discussions about our reconciliation with God through salvation in Christ!

 

Like this pick?  Then share it with a fellow reader!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO PITTMAN PICKS!

 

Author/Illustrator: Katy Hudson

Genre: Picture Book

Prime Audience: Children Celebrating a Birthday

Publisher: Capstone Editions

Publication Year: 2020

 

When it's your birthday, the centerpiece of the celebration is the cake, and for Beaver, a perfectionist, his birthday cake is going to be perfect!  That is, until his friends Rabbit, Squirrel, Tortoise, and Bird decide to help (which good friends should, right?) and don't quite follow Beaver's detailed recipe.  When they're finished with Beaver's cake, they're ready to celebrate— except for Beaver, who is appalled with what they've created!  So, he makes his own cake, by himself, and when it's finished and perfect, as he planned it to be, he's sad because has no one to celebrate with.  But Rabbit, Squirrel, Tortoise, and Bird show themselves to be true friends and comfort Beaver in his hour of epiphany.

 

Katy Hudson's The Perfect Birthday Recipe, the fourth in the set about Beaver and his friends, is a celebration of friendship.  The narrative is funny, serious, sad, and joyful, a balance that makes it rich as Beaver's recipe and his variety of friends.  Hudson's illustrations, from the super-detailed endpapers to the sparse depictions of energetic moments in the narrative, are a treat for the reader and another form of balance in the book.  Readers who celebrate with Beaver and his friends will enjoy Beaver's birthday with them!

 

Like this pick?  Then share it with a fellow reader!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO PITTMAN PICKS!

 

Author: Rousseaux Brasseur

Illustrator: Sian James

Genre: Christian Picture Book

Prime Audiences: Children Both Unfamiliar and Familiar with the Gospel

Publisher: Harvest House Publishers

Publication Year: 2025

 

The Good News of Easter: Celebrating the Glory of the Resurrection Story is an account of the events of Jesus's death, burial, and resurrection.  Written in rhyming verse that incorporates words from Scripture, Rousseaux Brasseur's narrative begins with Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem and ends with His ascension after His resurrection.  Sian James's illustrations capture the action, tone, and mood of the events.  And while the book does not explain or depict every violent detail of Christ's sufferings, it is an appropriate telling of the Passion for younger readers that communicates the love of God and the fulfillment of His plan of salvation for fallen humanity through Christ's death and resurrection.  And the final text of the book are Jesus's words to Martha, the sister of Lazurus, from John 11:25-26, an invitation to believe in Him.

 

This is an excellent picture book that will minister to its readers, both young and older!

 

Like this pick?  Then share it with a fellow reader!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO PITTMAN PICKS!

 

Author: Gary D. Schmidt

Illustrator: Daniel Minter

Genre: Picture Book Biography

Prime Audiences: Children Interested in Black History; Children Dealing with Difficult Circumstances

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Publication Year: 2018

 

"In Slavery Time," Isabella endured many hardships: being born into servitude, being separated from her mother, laboring for other human beings who did not respect her own humanity, and more.  And enduring and overcoming such hardships eventually caused her to go on her journey as Sojourner Truth, telling the truth about slavery, all the way into "Freedom Time."

 

So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth's Long Walk Toward Freedom is a biography of Sojourner Truth, written in Gary D. Schmidt's prose, both poetic and straightforward, and matched by Daniel Minter's heart-stoking illustrations.  Isabella's— Sojourner Truth's journey, it's heartaches and triumphs, is presented in words and pictures that honor its subject.  This is a book that will "stand tall" in any collection of African American history picture books!

 

Like this pick?  Then share it with a fellow reader!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO PITTMAN PICKS!

Author: Karen Hesse

Illustrator: G. Brian Karas

Genre: Fiction Picture Book

Target Ages: 4-8

Prime Audiences: Children who Enjoy Spending Time with Their Parents While They Work

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Publication Year: 2018

 

On Friday nights, a boy hops onto the back of his father's motorcycle and rides with him across the bay until they reach their destination, the school where his father works as a night custodian.  And after his father is finished, they ride back home and drift into Saturday morning dreams.

 

Karen Hesse's Night Job is an applause to the love between a father and a son, to the dignity of work, and to the wonder of nature even in a city setting.  G. Brian Karas's mixed media illustrations expertly capture the humble tone of the book, from even before the title page to the dedication page and copyright page, placed at the end.  Young readers will gain an appreciation for their parent's, grandparent's, or guardian's love through the hard work they do, and readers who've had the experience of having their child with them as they work will delight in the quiet, common joys of the story.  An excellent picture book!

 

 

Like this pick?  Then share it with a fellow reader!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO PITTMAN PICKS!

 

Author: Jordan Scott

Illustrator: Sydney Smith

Genre: Picture Book

Prime Audiences: Children with Close Relationships with Grandparents; Children and Grandchildren of Immigrants; Gardeners

Publisher: Neal Porter Books

Publication Year: 2023

 

Jordan Scott's My Baba's Garden is a wonderfully illustrated picture book based on time spent with his grandmother "Baba", a Polish immigrant of Canada, when Scott was a child.  His author's note, "My Baba," precedes the narrative and provides information about the real Baba and somewhat serves as a summary and a commentary on the moments in the story.  Sydney Smith's watercolor and gouache illustrations create a warm, earthy tone that matches the daily activities shared between the protagonist and the story's Baba and also their care for one another. 

 

My Baba's Garden is a book readers of multiple generations will enjoy and appreciate because it will remind them of their own family treasures— our loved ones and our experiences with them.

 

 

Like this pick?  Then share it with a fellow reader!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO PITTMAN PICKS!

 

Author: Antwan Eady

Illustrators: Jarrett and Jerome Pumphrey

Genre: Fiction Picture Book

Prime Audiences: Children and Grandchildren of Farmers

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Publication Year: 2024

 

Earl's Pumpkins, Peppers, Plums, & Eggs is the last stand at the local Farmer's Market, and each Saturday, Little Earl helps Papa load up the blue truck with their harvest to bring to the market.  But one Saturday Papa is too tired, and it's up to Little Earl to bring the harvest to the market for Ms. Rosa, Mr. Johnny, Mrs. Brown, and everyone else who depends on the last stand.

 

I can always count on finding a good new book whenever I visit Book People in Austin, and Antwan Eady and the Pumphrey brothers' The Last Stand is another great find!  Papa reminds me of my grandfather on my father's side, Paw-Paw, and of the gardens he and my grandmother grew.  Eady's text is a garden of imagery, especially Little Earl's descriptions of Papa— the honor and respect for him is a clear nod to the real farmers who inspire the book.  Eady adds a heartfelt author's note about Black farmers, calling the book "a love letter" and "an apology, too."

 

If gardening is in your blood, if the memory of fruits and vegetables from your parent's and grandparent's gardens is still fresh, The Last Stand will make your heart smile!

 

Like this pick?  Then share it with a fellow reader!

 

SUBSCRIBE TO PITTMAN PICKS!