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32 pp.
| Candlewick
| March, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-0-7636-9010-6$15.99
(3)
K-3
A city girl is scared when a bee flies into her room. But she overcomes her fear, and the bee soon grows bigger than its human friend; they eventually set off on a fantastical airborne mission to gather seeds and spread them throughout the city. Without words, Jay's vibrant, folksy oil paintings clearly communicate the story's messages regarding friendship and conservation. A brief note on bees is included.
32 pp.
| Barefoot
| June, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-1-78285-042-7$16.99
(3)
K-3
A lighthouse-dwelling boy and his friend find an octopus washed up on shore, trapped in a net. They band together with some sea creatures to liberate the animal. This wordless book delivers its subtle point through its fantastical oils with crackling varnish. (Look for one sea creature's clandestine liberation of a fishing boat's captives.) Information about tide pools, marine animals, and lighthouses is appended.
32 pp.
| Dial
| November, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8037-3804-1$16.99
(2)
PS
In Jay's jewel-toned, folk art–like paintings incorporating scenes from familiar carols, Bible passages, and secular Santa lore, two children travel to the North Pole, meet Santa, and return home, where objects seen on their journey appear as toys under the tree. Sharp-eyed viewers will find much to enjoy throughout. An appended key identifies specific pictorial references to Christmas songs.
Reviewer: Lolly Robinson
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2012
32 pp.
| Dutton
| May, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-525-42303-4$16.99
(3)
PS
On a rainy day, a young painter enjoys the vibrant colors suggested by several familiar nursery rhymes: "This yellow teapot's short and stout. / She is the best at pouring out." Nicely capturing both action and hue, Jay's familiar crackle-varnished illustrations also include the painter as onlooker. Throughout, page spreads incorporate details from preceding and succeeding rhymes, creating a smooth visual flow.
32 pp.
| Dial
| October, 2008
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8037-3177-6$16.99
(3)
PS
A family of four visits a rather unusual zoo in this wordless outing full of recurring characters and multiple visual plot threads. Jay's crackle-glaze varnished illustrations offer unique perspectives that invite the viewer into the story. Front endpapers provide a map of the zoo; a search-and-find list at the end sends viewers back to the beginning.
32 pp.
| Dutton
| September, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-525-47836-2$15.99
(3)
PS
A young girl falls asleep and embarks upon a dreamy journey from one to ten and back. The illustration accompanying each number shows a specific fairy tale, some familiar ("The Three Little Pigs"), some not ("The Red Shoes"). The concept is well executed; the book's energy lies in its illustrations, notable for their elongated curves and broad-ranging palette.
40 pp.
| Dutton
| September, 2003
|
TradeISBN 0-525-46951-6$$15.99
(3)
PS
One central image ("a is for apple") dominates each page; it's surrounded by alphabetically appropriate objects (an ant, an artist). The hint about each upcoming letter (e.g., a balloon floats behind the apple) makes this a sophisticated "first" alphabet book, but don't hold that against it. The accomplished illustrations are treated with what appears to be a crackling glaze.
(3)
PS
This picture dictionary of twenty-six words, originally printed as a picture book, is well suited to the board book format, containing a single word on each large page or double-page spread (clock, dog, hill), and illustrated with dreamlike antique-style folk paintings. Adults and slightly older readers will enjoy pointing out the occasional visual references to other pages in the work.
40 pp.
| Dutton
| May, 2000
|
TradeISBN 0-525-46380-1$$15.99
(3)
PS
Each page of this clever book names one featured item in the picture ("ball / teddy bear / hat"), and one hidden item that will be featured in the next picture. Jack and Jill also make a cameo appearance. Rendered in a folk-art style, the muted illustrations look as if the surface they were painted on has crackled with age. The repeated motifs and intriguing ambiance will encourage multiple readings.