​The days are growing shorter which makes me kind of sad, but I’m trying to savor the last days of summer. One of the ways I’m doing this is by being (and even eating) outside when I can. The book I’m reviewing today encourages the reader to appreciate the outside. And it’s gorgeous! 

​This is the kind of book you want to give a big hug. First off, the illustrations are GORGEOUS. The back page says that Cindy Derby used “watercolor and powdered graphite on cold press paper” and that “some of the lines were created with dried flower stems and thread soaked in ink.” How fitting to create illustrations for a book about the outside using elements of the outside! Deborah Underwood’s lyrical text are just as beautiful as the art. She draws the reader inside the book to remind us to appreciate the outside. She incorporates our senses and our imaginations to bring a love for the outside into our hearts. This is a book I want to own so I can read it over and over. Give it a read. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
 
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​As the daughter of an aviator, I’m particularly happy about today’s holiday. And what better way to celebrate than to read a picture book about a woman who invented an airplane. So, without further ado, I present to you: 

​Emma Lilian Todd lived in a time of key inventions—the telephone, the sewing machine, the light bulb—but not usually inventions designed by women. That didn’t stop Emma Lilian Todd. Kirsten W. Larson tells the story of a woman who loved to tinker, to find out how things worked, to invent, and to re-think and re-design. Most importantly, this is the story of a woman who tried, and failed (and failed and failed), and then learned from her failures to see her dreams achieved. This book focuses on one part of Emma Todd’s life, but also captures little tidbits of her as a child and other fun facts. Some of my personal favorites were the story of her taking apart a clock & not being able to put it back together successfully (my dad did the same thing with a watch when he was a child), the quote about Lilian’s mom always encouraging her and making sure she had the tools she wanted (my dad taught me how to use tools from a young age), and the mention of her invention taking over her apartment. So many children (and parents) will relate to projects that take over their room, yard, basement (I grew up with a tinkerer dad who always had several projects going in our basement and garage). This book is inspiring story about a lesser-known woman in history who, through trial and error and perseverance, achieves her goals. It includes actual quotes from Lilian Todd, an author’s note and additional backmatter, and lovely illustrations by Tracy Subisak that depict the early age of aviation. This book soars to the top of my list of recommendations for nonfiction picture books—please read!
 
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​Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday in August. Let’s celebrate by reading two picture books that showcase two very different friendship stories, but are both perfect for summer!  

​This is a story about the relationship between an old sea captain and the sea. They have a longstanding friendship, and, as the opening lines suggest, the sea has provided Captain Swashby with “exactly the right thing at exactly the right time.” So, when a young girl and her granny move in next door and disrupt Swashby’s serene life, readers will delight in the way the sea “fiddles” with Swashby’s attempts to make them go away. As someone who grew up near the beach, I love the idea of the sea as a character, who fiddles with messages written in the sand. I also love the dreamy, sea-colored images of waves, sandcastles, and sea creatures. And I cannot get enough of the human characters in the book. Captain Swashby is salty! He’s the kind of grump you want to hug, and I love how Juana Martinez-Neal draws his red nose peaking above his wiry beard and his hair which even looks like ocean waves. The little girl is the perfect little someone to turn Swashby’s saltiness into something a little sweeter. She’s playful and oblivious to Swashby’s annoyance, just like a typical child. She and her granny are just adorable! As a picture book “addict” and a huge fan of both Beth Ferry and Juana Martinez-Neal, I can say this book did not disappoint. This book has everything I love: illustrated end papers, dust jacket with a differently-illustrated cover, beach waves, sand, sandcastles, seagulls, sea captains, little girls & grannies, a friendship story with heart, dreamy illustrations, and even ice cream, lobster, and s’mores on the beach. Run, don’t walk to your library or bookstore and grab yourself a copy of this book!

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This book is just lovely. Reading it brought back memories of long summer days when my friends and I would spend as much time outside as possible catching fireflies, playing tag, and exploring the nearby stream & woods. Since my children do the same things now, this shows how this book has a timeless message. Lindsay's lyrical text pairs perfectly with Ellen Rooney's dreamy illustrations. A great read for summer or any time!
 
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