Ok, this book is a 2010, but it’s just so dear I had to include it here!
Also, I have a good story behind it!
So, first, Singe Singe met Candace Fleming and got a kiss from him!
I love her non-fiction books (P.T. Barnum, Amelia, the Lincolns and more!)
and her picture books are awesome too.
I like to say Muncha Muncha Muncha.
And Clever Jack is such a clever guy.
Kind of reminds me of me 🙂
Also, I bought this book (and got it signed) for a friend who came to sublet my room over the summer.
This friend is a storyteller if there ever was one; but his medium is journalism.
He’s from France and didn’t really read children’s books until he came here…
and met me…
and my library of books.
Now, granted, he didn’t read them on his own,
but he was very excited to listen when I read them.
And since he’s amazing at English, he didn’t have that hard of a time.
I met Candace Fleming at the SCBWI LA Conference,
in August 2012,
and got my friend the signed book.
The next day I was leaving for a month to go to NY to visit my family.
I planned on waiting until he left the country for good to give him the book,
but I was so excited he could tell something was up and I gave it to him before I went to NY.
First, I just read the book to him.
“This book really reminds me of you,” I told him,” and I’m going to read it, and then you can read it, because picture books are meant to be read more than once.”
I cleverly and quickly flipped two pages at once
so he wouldn’t see that it was signed to him,
and started reading.
He watched,
listened,
laughed,
and leaned closer and closer to the book.
At the end, he asked,
“Why did this story make you think of me?”
I told him cuz he’s such a good storyteller.
“Ok,” I said, “now you read it.”
I didn’t think he actually would, but he did.
He took the book out of my hands and flipped back to the beginning.
He flipped open the first page
and
stopped.
He looked at the writing,
then at me.
“You got this signed TO ME?” he asked.
I nodded my head yes.
He was so excited I think he smiled through reading the whole thing.
Turns out he doesn’t have any picture books that are his.
He was a very awesome reader as a child and read chapter books and the newspaper mostly.
He read the whole thing with voices and did a great job with the th’s too!
When he left to go back to France,
I helped him pack,
and watched him carefully tuck the book into his suitcase,
like a treasure.
It about broke my little heart to see a 23 year old man so excited about a children’s book.
And, if that doesn’t get you to read it, I don’t know what will!
Title: Clever Jack takes the Cake
Published by: Scwhartz and Wade Books, 2010
Written by: Candace Fleming
Illustrated by: G. Brian Karas.
In one word: Sweet.
In one sentence: Jack’s journey to the castle with the cake is quite eventful; but will he have anything left once he gets there?
Favorite pages:
Likes:
- I love how the story actually starts in the endpapers.
- the invitation…clearly text but the illustrator took care of it!
- the repetition of certain phrases
- the length of the book. It’s a long one, but it’s worth it!
- the illustrations. I adore G. Brian Karas. His illustrations are always very fun.
- the story. I like that it’s a journey and it’s cumulative.
- the text in certain places is formatted to be very fun!
Learns:
- Have something like an invitation or flyer? Perhaps that can be put in illustration notes.
- you can write a modern kind of fairy tale…I feel like this is a very fresh but classic feeling tale.
- love stories? write a story about story….this one really pulls it off!
Bookshelf time:
What did you read today?
I love starting out the morning reading a picture book….great way to start the day 🙂
Enthusiastically yours,
Kathy Ellen and Singe Singe
That is a wonderful story. My book of the day is THE LION AND THE MOUSE. I love Pinkney’s illustration style and vibrant colors. My favorite part is the text-less cover.
Isn’t that book gorgeous, Priscilla! My boyfriend works at Little Brown and worked on that book.
I love that book!
I have a signed copy from Jerry Pinkney.
He is so cool, and I think I have some notes on the textless cover…I’ll pull them up if I can find them!
That is such an amazing story, Kathy Ellen. Thanks for sharing. Truly special. And you tell it so well. 🙂
Today I read yet another Oliver Jeffers book. This time it was THE INCREDIBLE BOOK EATING BOY. Again, I love how bizarre and silly this book is. It reminds me of some of my own work.
I also love the illustrations that are done on piece-meal book pages, etc. Very clever.
A book eating boy…a kid after my own heart!
I’ve got to check this Oliver Jeffers out…thanks for bringing him to my attention.
You know, Kathy, I think I love your stories (about how you got a book or got it signed or whatever) as much as I love the books you review. 🙂 Your choice today sounds awesome…I will get a copy!
Today I read “The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse”. by Eric Carle. Want to encourage a child to love art and colors and expressing himself through drawing? Here’s the perfect book. Bold beautiful illustrations (of course, this is Eric Carle, after all 🙂 and SIMPLE almost non-existent text…a powerful book that every young child will enjoy!
Glad you like the stories, Vivian, because I like telling them 🙂
I have heard a lot about this book and haven’t seen it yet…thanks for reminding me about it!
I definitely love your stories about how you got the book, or how/when you got it signed, as much as the picture books you share! Thank you!
I loaded up on a bunch more picture books at the library today, and needed some silliness this afternoon, so I read “How to Be a Good Cat” by Gail Page. Bobo, who is a very helpful dog, offers to kitten-sit a rambunctious kitten and decides to teach him how to be a good cat. Lessons in fetch, sit, and stay don’t work all that well — so an expert has to take over. An expert CAT, that is. Delightful illustrations (that show Bobo as sitting like a human in a chair, but, oh well…) and a fun story show that it’s best to be who you are.
Thanks Beth, like I said, I like telling the stories too.
How to be a good cat sounds like fun…I know lots of people and kids that love cats so I’ll check it out..thanks!
Kathy, that was a great story! Thank you for sharing.
Candace Fleming is one of my favorite children’s authors! Clever Jack happens to be my favorite book she has written! It is a blast to read aloud. I read it to a whole group of children and parents at a school “reading night”. I had parent walking up to me afterward saying that they loved the book too.
Tonight we read Bony Legs by Joanna Cole. It is more of an early reader than a picture book. My boys love that the book is slightly creepy, but not too scary. This book is fun to read aloud — love making witch voices!
I think I remember reading Bony Legs, Eric, when I was a kid maybe…
I like your story about reading Clever Jack…it has such a classic feel to it that I’m not surprised the parents said they loved it.
And yes, witch voices are simply THE BEST.
I read “Bad Apple: A Tale of Friendship” by Edward Hemingway. It was a sweet friendship tale between an apple and a worm, and I loved the puns.
Clever Jack looks like a wonderful, sweet story as well. I looked it up on Amazon to read some of the pages. That’s neat you were able to surprise your friend with this autographed book!
Tina, I love books with puns.
And I realized I NEVER sent you my email address…I wrapped your book up today!
I think you left yours in a comment, but just in case I don’t get to that, here’s mine too:
kathyellendaviswriter AT gmail.com
I am going backwards in the comments and i’m sure I’ll find yours too so your book can get to you!
Hi Kathy!
I loved your story about your friend. Don’t you just love to give books away as gifts? My son gave me a Kindle but I must confess it’s collecting dust because I HAVE to have the touch and feel of the “real” thing…;~)
Today I read Scrawny Cat by Phyllis Root and illustrated by Alison Friend. I love anything to do with the sea and this is a story about one lonely cat who used to have someone to care for him. He used to have a name but now the only thing he is called is “Get out of here”! It takes one big dog, one bigger storm, and the biggest ride of his life before Scrawny Cat finds someone to love him.
Donna L Martin
http://www.donnalmartin.com
http://www.donasdays.blogspot.com