Boxes for Katje, by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen -- Day 86

Boxes for Katje is based on the experience of author Candace Fleming’s mother, who sent a small box containing toothpaste, socks and soap to war-devasted Europe in May 1945. This gesture was one of many made by Americans, individually and through relief agencies, to Europeans enduring the horrible effects of World War II. In this heartwarming picture book, young Katje, who lives in the Dutch town of Olst, receives an unexpected box from Mayfield, Indiana, USA. Mama and Postman Kleinhoonte are almost as excited as she when it is found to contain soap, socks and chocolate; Katje generously shares the chocolate. The package also contains a letter from the American girl who sent it. Of course, Katje responds and again, unexpectedly, receives a bigger box from Rosie in Indiana. This exchange of letters and boxes continues through the summer and fall, with each box getting bigger until, in the middle of the harsh winter when Katje’s village is suffering deeply from the cold, many boxes filled with food and clothing – and chocolate – arrive for the townspeople. These gifts make a huge difference to the grateful recipients. When the snows melt, Katje and her mother choose just the right way to show their thanks: they send tulip bulbs from their gardens to Indiana so that the next spring Mayfield could be mantled with colorful Dutch tulips!  Illustrations by Stacey Dressen-McQueen are alive with action and intriguing details. Perhaps it goes without saying that we cannot underestimate the importance of sharing resources and kindness across the globe in today’s world, too. Ages 4-8.

Johnny Appleseed: The Story of a Legend, by Will Moses -- Day 85

Stories about Johnny Appleseed are plentiful. He was a character reputed to have carried apple seeds and planted apple trees over much of the country. Well, many of those stories are probably true! Johnny Appleseed was a real person, born John Chapman in Leominster, Massachusetts, in 1774. Johnny was one of twelve children; he loved being with his family but he loved wandering in the woods even more. He dreamed of going west to the frontier and in his early twenties he set out, traveling with the seasons. He followed Indian trails and lived very simply, but the winter of 1797 was particularly cold, raw and threatening, so he settled in Warren, Pennsylvania, building himself a cabin in the spring. That was when Johnny had a vision of his mission — “to wander about the country planting apple trees as he went, ‘so that the wilderness might be glad and blossom forth with fruit.’ ” Johnny was both spiritual and determined, and he took his vision seriously. In following years he gathered bags and bags of apple seeds from cider mills, planting his orchards in Pennsylvania and Ohio and always helping settlers establish their own orchards. After all, you could do anything with apples, all year round – and they tasted so very good right off the tree! Plus, springtime brought wonderful blossoms. Johnny was a true eccentric, caring not at all about his appearance (he wore shabby clothes, crazy hats, and often went barefoot), but the folks he met described him as unfailingly kind and generous. Johnny loved to read and enjoyed sharing his books and tales. Stories told about him grew into legends, some of which may not be wholly true. What is absolutely true is that he is responsible for the glorious spread of apple trees from Pennsylvania to Indiana; pioneering families with whom he shared his seeds and saplings carried them further west. In Johnny Appleseed: The Story of a Legend, Will Moses has crafted a wonderful portrait of this unusual man, combining a story that reads like an old-fashioned yarn with his bountiful folk-art paintings. Ages 5-9.

A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet -- Day 84

Doctor and poet William Carlos Williams was born in Rutherford, New Jersey. He grew up in an ordinary fashion – playing with friends and wandering alone through the fields and woods outside of town, just enjoying being in the midst of the sounds and images of nature. It was when his high school English teacher Mr. Abbott read poems aloud that William felt his spirit come to rest on the fluid lines of words. As he began to write poems himself, it was apparent that “poetry suited Willie.” He studied the rhymes and rhythms of famous English poets but “he had pictures in his mind that didn’t exactly fit into steady rhythms or rhymes.” So his poems took the form of his thoughts and perceptions, moving freely, portraying ordinary things. But in the way of the world, William knew he needed to earn a living through something other than poetry. He became good friends with poets and artists at the university where he went to medical school and stayed in touch with them even as he maintained a busy family medicine practice. Always Williams wrote poetry – on prescription pads during the day as he was able or late at night with the moon shining in his window. A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams is an absolutely glorious biography combining Jen Bryant’s lyrical narrative with Melissa Sweet’s beautifully layered collages incorporating elements of Williams’s elegant poems about the ordinary things in life. It is a fusion of text and visual art consistent with Williams’s unique poetic style. A timeline of events and endnotes from both the author and illustrator complete this celebration of a notable American poet. Ages 7 to adult.

View "This Is Just To Say" by William Carlos Williams

Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters, by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Stephen Alcorn -- Day 83

Author Andrea Davis Pinkney shares her inspiration for Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters in a preface entitled “This Little Light of Mine.” Both her parents were active in the fight for civil rights, and black empowerment was “a deeply held belief that [her] parents, through their example, instilled in their three children.” Each of the women included in Pinkney's expressive collected biography was a beacon in the continuous struggle for equality and justice. Some are well known, others less so, but all were ardent in speaking out for their beliefs. The profiles are presented chronologically, starting with Sojourner Truth, whose slave name was Belle. She claimed Inspiration caused her to change the name, saying “Get yourself a new name, child. Live up to that name by preaching what’s real and what’s right.” The final profile is of Shirley Chisholm; she was the first black woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives and, as a candidate for the presidency in 1972, said “I am not the candidate of black America, although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate for the women’s movement of this country, although I am a woman…I am the candidate of the people.” Other strong women in the author's collection are Biddy Mason, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Mary McLeod Bethune, Ella Josephine Baker, Dorothy Irene Height, Rosa Parks and Fannie Lou Hamer. Pinkney distills the life events of each woman in a fluid, colloquial manner, highlighting their challenges and accomplishments. Dramatic, allegorical full-page artwork by Stephen Alcorn captures the portrait and the passion of each woman. Further readings are suggested at the conclusion. Ages 9-13, younger for reading aloud, and adults.

Annie and Helen, by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Raul Colón -- Day 82

Helen Keller and her teacher Annie Sullivan shared a fascinating journey. Just out of Perkins Institution for the Blind in 1887, Annie Sullivan took Helen as her first student, a lively six-year-old girl deaf-blind from early childhood and prone to tantrums. Annie and Helen by Deborah Hopkinson tells the story of their amazing forty-nine-year partnership in a fresh and inviting way through excerpts from Annie’s letters to her former teacher, concise and engaging text, and affectionate and informative illustrations by Raul Colón. Annie, visually impaired herself, recognized Helen’s earnest intelligence from the beginning and was determined to give her language with which to communicate. Using the finger spelling technique she had learned at Perkins, Annie patiently introduced Helen to concepts and objects. It was the moment when Helen put her hand under water from a pump and Annie spelled w-a-t-e-r into Helen’s other hand that she perceived what language was. From that moment, Helen “began to devour words, minute by minute, hour by hour.” Eventually Keller became the first deaf-blind person to receive a college degree, thereafter conducting a long life of advocacy for a number of causes in addition to being a heroine to the deaf-blind community. Young readers will not forget the perseverance exemplified by Annie and Helen in this remarkable biographical picture book. Ages 4-9.

Mole Music, by David McPhail -- Day 81

Mole lived a solitary life; by day he dug tunnels in the earth and in the evening he ate his supper in front of the TV. He was not unhappy but he felt something was missing. Hearing a man play the violin beautifully on TV one evening, Mole sent away for his own. Thrilled when the violin arrived, he began practicing right away – and continued to practice every single day. Finally he could play a simple song, and as the years went by he got better and better and happier and happier. He hummed as he dug tunnels during the day and wondered at night what it would be like to play his violin for an audience. “He even imagined that his music could reach into people’s hearts and melt away their anger and sadness.” Unbeknownst to Mole, his underground music does reach above to birds, farmers, presidents and queens. Even fighting armies come together on good terms hearing the strains of his lovely music. In Mole Music, author and illustrator David McPhail has created a magical story; on every page readers see both Mole in his subterranean existence and the world above as his music brings joy far and wide. What a testament to the value of following one’s passion and the power of music. For ages 4-8 and all who appreciate the presence of the arts in our lives.