PIcturebook Magic: Come Fly with Me

     The story of a toy that comes to life when people aren't watching is not new, but it is the unique imaginings of each author that brings each story to life in a different way.  Such is the case for Come Fly with Me by Satomi Ichikawa.  Cosmos, a toy airplane, and Woggle, a fluffy dog in a posh scarf (he is French, after all), decide to take a trip to Somewhere.  For them, Somewhere is Sacre-Coeur, a huge white dome that sits on a hill overlooking Paris.  On their adventure, they learn to fly together, even when the going gets rough.  Will they make it to Somewhere on their own?

     Ichikawa's inspiration for the beautiful artistry is her own apartment window.  The view is of the white dome, and she comments that she often looks at it herself.  The plane and the dog are not figments of her imagination, but real toys that she owns and brings to life in the pages of this book.  

     This book is a terrific book for young airplane enthusiasts, who can watch the journey as well as take in the scenery, which includes other airliners streaking through the warm, watercolored sky.  Each page is quaint and beautiful, suffused with warmth from Ichikawa's color palette. The panoramic full spreads of Parisian rooftops are an homage to the city of Paris that draws the reader in and invites them to stay.  The grey skies signal trouble for the two friends, and the transition to a monochromatic palette of greys and browns contribute to a sense of gloom.  However, when the sun bursts out again, Paris is again awash with cool color and even a rainbow.  The Eiffel Tower is seen in the distance.  

     Though I found myself more captivated by the illustrations than the storyline, this is a story about friends, sticking together, and a quest.  Though this book would be suitable for children of both genders, I imagine that boys may gravitate more toward this book because of its main characters being a dog and an airplane, an adventure, and calamity.  Because of the beautiful illustrations, I would possibly group this book with others of similar watercolor style.  Miss Nelson Is Missing springs to mind.  I would definitely create a display of picturebooks  and Easy Readers all having to do with flight as well.  It would also be fun to create a display of other beautifully-illustrated books and shine the spotlight on the illustrators, who sometimes get lost in the shuffle.  Some read-alikes in this category include: Cromwell Dixon's Sky Cycle by John Abbott Nez; Captain Arsenio: Inventions and (Mis) Adventures in Flight by Pablo Bernasconi; Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane by Cynthia Rylant.

Come Fly with Me

Satomi Ichikawa
Copyright 2008

New York: Philomel Books

ISBN: 978-0-399-24679-1

     

Seven Kicks for Seven Impossible Things

Review:

Book Nook’s Seven Kicks:

What I love about Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

1. I love the title.  Literary, yet catchy, and makes the reader or browser want to know what the blog is about.  
2. The blog has a vintage feel, with fleur de lis wallpaper panels, and one of several illustrations of the Mad Tea Party as its header, reflecting the source of the blog’s name:  Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carol.
3. The author is a reviewer for children’s literature at Kirkus and brings her finds to her blog and to her readers.  The blog is at once thoughtful and enthusiastic about new children’s lit, as well as any homage that is paid to children’s literature of yore.
4. Though the blog is clear and easy to follow, since there are so many images, I do wish the blog had a larger area for glorious spreads of artwork.  Apparently, the pictures are bigger than they were in the past, according to the blog’s author.
5. 7 Imp’s 7 Kicks.  Though the blog is mainly devoted to literary pursuits, I appreciate a divergence into the personal.  Each week or so, the author lists “7 Kicks”: 7 great things that happened that week.  She also encourages her readers to list their seven kicks in the comments section of the blog.  It’s a way to see the blogger in a more personal light; there are ridiculous pictures of her eight-year-old daughter, favorite books, links to favorite discoveries, or simple lists of thankfulness.
6. Connections.  This author has cred, and it’s so neat to see how the children’s book authors divulge their work.  There are images of artist’s worktables, spread with the first sketches for a book idea, and then the mock-ups of pages, and then finally the finished product.  Here is one of my favorites.
7. Multimedia.  The author has videos, images, text, and beautiful illustrations for the reader to feast upon. Some of the content is personal such as a video of the author interpreting at a read-aloud for a Scholastic event; some more professional, like interviews with authors and spreads of their work.  

     The content, while it feels cramped at times, does a good job expressing a lot information in a small amount of space.  I feel lucky to have found such a varied site, filled with dramatically different artists and storytellers, all attempting to reach children in a meaningful way.  I use this blog already to stay on top of new titles I would be interested in purchasing at a later date.  Many of her book reviews are on books that have not been printed yet, so I would have to keep a running list of titles and release dates.  I also read it to learn about the world of book writing, publishing, illustrating and reviewing and for its entertainment value, which keeps me coming back.