artist – Mom Read It

Blog Tour: The Boy Who Found His Voice

Posted on June 26, 2024June 7, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Teen artist and activist Tyler Gordon tells his story in this inspirational picture book. From a kid who once had trouble with words, Tyler painted with his mom, learned to be patient with himself, and became…

The Boy Who Found His Voice, by Tyler Gordon
(June 2024, Farrar Straus Giroux), $18.99, ISBN: 9780374389673

Ages 4-8

The story begins with Tyler, who has all the words right in his head: he’s got jokes, he’s got rhymes, he’s got cool things to talk about, but when he tries to speak, he gets STUCK. Tyler’s mom knows how “frustrated, frazzled and in a funk” he becomes, and helps calm him with breathing excercises, positive self-talk, and painting with him. Eventually, it is artwork that helps Tyler find his voice: he presents his art to his classmates, receiving wild acceptance and praise. Gordon illustrated his story with expressive characters and bright colors. He incorporates pastel watercolor and thought bubbles into his scenes, letting his work pop against a bright white page. Bright and bold fonts emphasize emotions and interactions with Tyler’s mom. Tyler has a multicultural group of classmates and Tyler has brown skin and natural hair. Kids will love Tyler’s self-portrait, included in the story, and a note from the author goes into more detail about how Gordon found his voice through art and the support from those around him.

Tyler Gordon is a teen artist and activist. You can follow him on Instagram and visit his Linktree for more info. He also has a page on VR platform where you view his artwork and enjoy a virtual exhibit.

Fiction, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads

Elvin Link, doodler, sketch artist… and THAT kid?

Posted on March 16, 2021March 16, 2021 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Elvin Link, Please Report to the Principal’s Office!, by Drew Dernavich (July 2021, Square Fish), $7.99, ISBN: 9781250791702

Ages 8-12

Fifth grader Elvin Link is a doodler. He doodles on everything, everywhere, including his desk, which clearly looks cooler as a rocket ship… despite what the custodian and his teacher think. While he’s scrubbing down the desk, an incident involving a teacher’s glasses, an ill-fated ice cream cone, and a schoolyard collision lands him back in the principal’s office, this time, as a sketch artist. He’s so good at it that the principal brings him back in shortly after, to solve a school mystery! Meanwhile, the school bully, who specializes in wedgies, has his sights set on Elvin. Elvin has to navigate his twin sisters, one of whom has a crush on the bully, keep his best friend out of trouble, and cover his rear end: literally. For readers who loved Timmy Failure and, yes, that other illustrated diarist, Elvin Link: Please Report to the Principal’s Office is an insta-read. Award-winning New Yorker artist Drew Dernavich creates a likable, laugh-out loud funny character with Elvin and his best friends and family members are equally fun to spend time with. The book is laid out like a journal, with Elvin’s doodles and opinions throughout. He’s got the Wimpy Kid snark with a slightly more generous personality, and the black and white illustrations and added back matter will have your library kids asking when the next book is coming out. (Hey, Mr. Dernavich, when is that happening?)

Released in hardcover last July, Elvin Link is coming to paperback this July and is a good fit for your middle grade shelves.

Preschool Reads

The Tiny Tale of Little Pea

Posted on September 5, 2017August 7, 2017 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Tiny Tale of Little Pea, by Davide Cali/Illustrated by Sébastien Mourrain, (Sept. 2017, Kids Can Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781771388436

Recommended for readers 4-7

“When he was born, Little Pea was tiny. Teeny-tiny.”

So begins the tale of Little Pea, who could sleep in a matchbox, ride a grasshopper, and wore his doll’s shoes, while his clothes were lovingly hand-sewn by his mom. When it’s time for Little Pea to go to school, he realizes just how small he is. He’s too small for his desk. Too small to play the flute. Definitely too small for gym class. But is Little Pea’s confidence shaken? No way! He finds his own place in the world, painting postage stamps and living in a home that fits him just right.

Little Pea is a cute story with a main character who has a lot to say about resilience. He doesn’t let his perceived weakness stop him from living life on his terms; it’s a strong message for kids who hear, “You’re too little for that” once too often. Self-acceptance, creativity, and individuality drive the story, and every reader can take something away from it. Sébastien Mourrain comes up with wonderful scenes to demonstrate Little Pea’s size, bringing to mind some of my favorite parts of E.B. White’s Stuart Little. It’s a sweet story that will add to a storytime or individual reading.