Bob Staake

Picture Book Review – The Path

THE PATH

Written and illustrated by Bob Staake

(mineditionUS; $18.99, Ages 4-8)

The Path cover

 

This is the time of year when many people attend graduations. And not just high school and college graduations. They go to all kinds of graduations from kindergarten to massage school and lots more in between. But the road taken may have been long and winding with obstacles and indecisiveness. And what of the road ahead? That’s why it’s so lovely to have a book such as The Path by Bob Staake that celebrates the journey as much as the accomplishment. In other words, this book is ideal not just for the graduate, but for celebrating individuality as well.

 

The Path int1
Interior spread from The Path written and illustrated by Bob Staake, mineditionUS/Astra Publishing ©2022.

 

Acclaimed New Yorker cover artist and author and/or illustrator of more than 50 books, Bob Staake brings readers both young and old a picture book that simply and gorgeously addresses the highs and lows of life’s pathways. They are not always straightforward.

 

The Path int2
Interior spread from The Path written and illustrated by Bob Staake, mineditionUS/Astra Publishing ©2022.

 

Written in second person, the prose does not always promise that things will be easy and that’s the honesty that appeals to me. It’s also how Staake’s stunning illustrations and color palette convey this message. The path doesn’t always lead to ribbons and rainbows. But as things begin looking up for the traveler, the colors begin to lighten up, too.

 

The Path int3
Interior spread from The Path written and illustrated by Bob Staake, mineditionUS/Astra Publishing ©2022.

 

This is a picture book about possibilities. It’s not just about the path we choose but about our outlook, and our perspective. I think reading The Path together with kids can help them not only look at what choices exist but it can also help them understand what taking each one will mean, and how to forge their own unique way in the world. What a super conversation starter for parents, caregivers, and teachers about self-reliance at an age when children are beginning to assert their independence.

Find an exclusive bonus print from Bob Staake inside the jacket.

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Picture Books Giveaway Celebration

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*We’re so thankful to you, our readers. You care about sharing the best books with your children and we do, too. So as promised, after reaching 2000 Twitter followers, we are now celebrating with a “We’re Grateful for You Gargantuan Giveaway” worth over $200 just in time for the holidays. Click the links to read our reviews of the books because you’ll see we’ve included lots of our faves.

To enter the Rafflecopter please scroll down, read the instructions, remember to subscribe to our site, and leave a comment on this post below about what you’d do with this bevy of beautiful books should you have the good fortune to win. We’d also love it if you LIKED the blog on Facebook, though it’s not mandatory to enter. Good luck!

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*We = Ronna, Hilary, Rita, MaryAnne, Cathy, Dornel, Mary, Rina & Krista

The 13 books you can win are:

Bad Bye, Good Bye by Deborah Underwood with illustrations by Jonathan Bean – Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas by Lynne Cox with illustrations by Brian Floca – Published by Schwartz & Wade Books
Elsa and the Night by Jöns Mellgren -Published by Little Gestalten
Frank! by Connah Brecon – Published by Running Press
Goatilocks and the Three Bears by Erica S. Perl with illustrations by Arthur Howard – Published by Beach Lane Books
Have You Seen My Dragon? by Steve Light – Published by Candlewick Press
Lowriders in Space by Cathy Camper with illustrations by Raúl The Third – Published by Chronicle Books
Me First by Max Kornell – Published by Nancy Paulsen Books
Mix It Up! by Hervé Tullet – Published by Chronicle Books
Penguin and Pumpkin by Salina Yoon – Published by Bloomsbury
Robots, Robots Everywhere! by Sue Fliess with illustrations by Bob Staake – Published by Golden Books
Tippy and the Night Parade by Lilli Carré – Published by Toon Books
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt Jigsaw Puzzle Book by Michael Rosen with illustrations by Helen Oxenbury – Published by Candlewick Press

It’s easy to enter our “We’re Grateful for You Gargantuan Giveaway.” Just follow the Rafflecopter instructions in the widget below. There’s one mandatory entry and a few optional entries. Feel free to enter more than once to increase your chances of winning!

Remember to enter by December 15th. Rafflecopter widget will randomly select a winner whose name will be announced on the Good Reads With Ronna Facebook page, on Twitter, and on the Rafflecopter widget right here. – make sure you’re following us so you don’t miss a thing!

Good luck – We hope you win!

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Toys Galore by Peter Stein with illustrations by Bob Staake

Let your imagination soar …

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Toys Galore written by Peter Stein with illustrations by Bob Staake,
Candlewick Press, © 2013.

… as you read Toys Galore (Candlewick Press, $15.99, Ages 4-8) written by Peter Stein with illustrations by Bob Staake, and reviewed by MaryAnne Locher.

Bob Staake’s vividly colored illustrations and Peter Stein’s whimsical verse are reminiscent of a carousel with calliope music. One ride is not enough!

After reading this picture book, I found myself wanting to go back again for a closer look at all the marvelous pictures. Parents and children will find inspiration for making their own fun and making up their own stories about this book’s wild and whacky toys. Yes, Toys Galore is a certainly a catalyst for creativity – sock puppets, cardboard box robots anyone?

Best of all, Toys Galore will entertain children independently as they memorize the pages, allowing parents to ultimately be on the receiving end of some delightful “read alouds” from their pre- to beginning readers.

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Interior spread from Toys Galore by Peter Stein with illustrations by Bob Staake, Candlewick Press, @ 2013.

Warning! This wonderful picture book will wake them up, shake them up, and get their juices flowing. I highly recommend reading it again and again … but not at bedtime.

NOTE:  If you loved Bugs Galore and also Cars Galore, you’re going to want to add this to your collection.

 

 

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Robots, Robots Everywhere! by Sue Fliess

ROBOTS, ROBOTS EVERYWHERE!

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Robots, Robots Everywhere! by Sue Fliess with illustrations by Bob Staake, Golden Books, © 2013

This latest Little Golden Books, ROBOTS, ROBOTS EVERYWHERE! (Random House Children’s Books, $3.99, ages 2-5), by Sue Fliess with illustrations by Bob Staake, should fly off the shelves because, between the flawless rhyme, the playful illustrations and the $3.99 price, it makes a perfect addition to any picture book collection.

Okay, so technically they’re machines, but robots are cool machines and we love ’em! In the book there are all kinds of robots featured in all kinds of places: on the ground, up in space, beneath the seas, in fields, on farms and at home. Here’s one of my favorite rhyming couplets –

Under couches, over rugs,
Vacuum robots have no plugs.

Kids will like the cheery, colorful looking robots because they look friendly and funny. And what’s funnier than a robot with a good sense of humor? The robots are clearly designed to appear non-threatening for even the youngest of readers. In fact, some are even used to save people like the one shown rescuing a little scout. (Rescue robots seek and find.)

Robots spin and race and run.
Robots, robots — I want one!

Well I want one, too, especially the vacuuming kind! For a child ready to learn about robots and all the different tasks they perform, Robots, Robots Everywhere! is an ideal introduction. The bonus is getting Fliess’s fantastic rhyming text together with Staake’s whimsical artwork. So parents, whether you’re a Jetson’s fan, or a fan of jetpacks, you’re going to enjoy sharing this picture book with your kids.

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

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Author Sue Fliess has been reviewed on GRWR before so click below to read previous posts:

SHOES FOR ME

A DRESS FOR ME

TONS OF TRUCKS

For links to books illustrated by Bob Staake that were reviewed here, please click titles below:

BLUEBIRD

LOOK! A BOOK!

WE PLANTED A TREE

MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMP

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Simply, Superbly Staake

I’d heard the buzz about Bluebird by Bob Staake, but deliberately steered clear of reading anything before I laid eyes on my own copy. I didn’t want a single word to influence my opinion of a book that was 10 years in the making. Then my review copy arrived and I dove in. Certain to be an award-winner, Bluebird (Schwartz & Wade, $17.99, ages 4-8) is everything I hoped it would be and more.

cover

This emotion-packed picture book touched me the same way the 1956 film The Red Balloon did. I felt my eyes well with tears just like when I first watched the French classic as an elementary school girl in the late 60s. I’ve carried that movie with me over four decades and am confident Bluebird will have that kind of effect on children. Its moving message will stay with readers. Plus, reading this book feels so much more intimate and individual than watching a film and the artwork simply soars. Yes, it’s a book that has wings because as you read it and watch colors and tones change with the illustrations, your spirit lifts along with Bluebird and the boy he befriends. And though I said “read it,” it’s actually a wordless picture book with a most wonderful voice, one that shouts love and understanding. Great art can do that. Here are some of Staake’s Bluebird character studies:

bluebirdcharacterstudies

Friends come in all shapes and sizes and so do bullies. There are several bullies who torment a young boy at the beginning of the school year. He feels alone and ostracized until Bluebird appears and makes it hard not to notice his friendly gestures. Set in Manhattan, the different frames of the story depict the nameless boy and his new pal spending a great afternoon together playing and then sailing a boat in Central Park as new friendships are forged.

BLUEBIRE Interior Art

The huge smiles on the kids’ faces and the light airy feeling of grays and blues on the pages convey a newfound happiness and joy. Then the grays darken as the boy runs into the bullies.

(A Staake sketch of the bullies in Central Park)

Sketch from Bluebird

What happens next as Bluebird tries to help his friend may temporarily derail little ones, but that’s really the point. Bluebird is a conversation starter about friendship, loyalty and bullying. It’s also about loss and the healing power of community. I’m glad we waited 10 years for this powerful tale to take flight.

For more information and a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the book, visit FlyBluebird.com.

-Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

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Is it a Bird? A Plane? No, it’s Look! A Book by Bob Staake!

 

LOOK! A BOOK!

Written and illustrated by Bob Staake

(Little, Brown BYR; $16.99, Ages 4-8)

 

Today’s guest reviewers are editor Carolyn Graham’s husband Steve and son, Jack.

My son Jack (6) and I sat down to read a new book last night and thought we would share it with you. It’s called Look! A Book!: A Zany Seek-and-Find Adventure by Bob Staake. It was just published by Little, Brown and it’s $15.99. More about Bob at http://www.bobstaake.com/

Jack:
Well this book is quite good. It’s fun and you have to look for things. It’s about finding things. Each page shows you something peeking through holes in the pages and you have to find things in the drawings.

Dad:
Bob Staake’s artwork is genius. I loved this book. He had me at the cover. With spaceships and a giant dinosaur, a swinging ape, a pirate, a guy in a jetpack, and a tiger on a pedal-powered helicopter, how could it miss?

Jack:
What was my favorite drawing? It’s tough to choose, but I like the dinosaur and I like the donkey in the hot tub. I pretty much like everything.

Dad:
Me too. We spent a long time on each page, marveling at the crazy and imaginative detail. There are tons of great little jokes and cool ideas packed into every huge two-page drawing.

Jack:
There is very little typing.

Dad:
Yeah, but what’s there is perfect. It’s got just enough great rhyming story to keep you moving through the book.

Jack:
I think it’s very funny at the end because a policeman says “No No No Stop!” It’s not the end of the book.

Dad:
And at the end, there is a whole page of cool hidden items that you can go back through the book to look for, like 3 pigs and 5 doughnuts. (So that’s why the Abraham Lincoln riding on the back of a jetliner on page 7 was holding a doughnut!)

Jack:
We found lots of hammers. I love the robots they draw.

Dad:
I think we’ll keep going back to this one pretty often.

Jack:
I recommend that you should have this book. It’s a good book and fun to read with your Dad or Mom.

 

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