Are up for a Monday morning riddle? If you’re a lover of books and appreciate the kind of illustrations that stick with you–the ones that make you think, help you to dream, and inspire you to do great things. . .then this one’s for you.
Read on and see our most backward, totally wacky, incredibly interesting just 1 book post by animator and author, Mr. Warburton.
(And there’s even an awesome signed book giveaway with this one but I was asked to keep it all a secret until the end. . . so read on, my friends!)
- just 1 book: animator/ author guest post by mr. warburton
I think that I shall never see
A poem as lovely as a tree.
Joyce Kilmer
A beautiful quote,
no?
Well, actually…
No.
I mean yeah, it’s pretty and all…
But it’s also one of the greatest examples of
misquotification in, like, the history of forever.
Kilmer’s actual quote, revealed below, is much more eloquent, p
oignant, and well…
See for yourself:
I think that I shall never see
A party as awesome in a tree.
Obviously Kilmer was speaking about this:
Uh huh.
The greatest book spread ever.
You heard me:
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEERRR.
Of the many things Joyce Kilmer and I have in common,
(like my frequent use of her eponymous rest stop on the New Jersey Turnpike)
I think our mutual love of P.D. Eastman’s GO DOG GO is the greatest.
This book spoke to us.
It inspired us.
It made us who we are.
I mean, how could it not?
The book has EVERYTHING.
Like, for instance:
Dogs.
Dogs in cars.
Funny hats (on dogs).
Dogs sleeping.
Dogs swimming.
And a great big dog party on top of a tree.
I can’t prove it, but I’m willing to bet that I spent a much greater part of my childhood
staring at this spread than Joyce Kilmer did.
And no one ever quoted me regarding what I thought about it.
No, I’m not mad.
It’s just…
Anyway.
GO DOG GO.
This is one of those books that have been infused with some kind of magic that just
sucks kids in the very first time you read it to them.
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE has it.
GOOD NIGHT MOON has it.
And GO DOG GO has it.
(It also has a big dog party on top of a tree.)
Is it any wonder that a certain animated sooper triple smash hit TV show
(that contrary to popular belief, was NOT created by Joyce Kilmer)
featured sooper triple giant treehouses for its characters to live (and party) in?
Like this one:
And this one:
And who can forget this one:
Hmmmmmm…
I wonder if Joyce Kilmer ever built a treehouse?
To be honest, I never did either.
I’m not very handy.
But I hired some pretty awesome artists to draw them for me.
So who should have the famous quote about trees?
Answer: Me
Anyway, back to the book.
I can’t claim that GO DOG GO is what inspired me to learn to draw.
Or to make books.
Cartoons.
Or plant trees.
(Kilmer, of course, has claimed all these things and more– which is absolute rubbish)
But GO DOG GO did leave me with a lasting impression.
A kind of intense curiosity.
And I see that same fire in my two boys when I read it to them.
They stop and stare at the same places I did.
The cars.
The sleeping dogs.
The ferris wheel.
And obviously…
They will never EVER see
A party as awesome in a tree.
about the author: Mr. Warburton is the creator of Cartoon Network’s sooper smash hit animated series Codename: Kids Next Door, author and illustrator of HarperCollins sooper fun picture book 1000 Times No, and currently works on Disney Channel’s awesome new animated series Fish Hooks. He was totally shocked to find out Joyce Kilmer is a man. Follow his many adventures at www.warburtonlabs.blogspot.com
WOW! Seriously the most revved up just 1 book post we’ve had to date! Many, many thanks for guest posting for us, Mr. Wharburton–your refreshing and fun spin on this feature is a super-cool way of starting off a new week!
GIVEAWAY: A signed copy of 
1000 Times No of your very own!
**Contest is closed as of 3/21. Winner was Heather from Maryland! Thanks for your interest!
Do you want to win a signed copy of 1000 Times No by the amazingly talented Tom Warburton?
- Leave a comment here (along with your email address) simply sharing a book you loved for its illustrations.
- For extra entries, you can share this post with a friend (just tell me who you shared it with!) OR Tweet this: Win a signed book by (shhh! it’s top secret!) on @teachmama http://teachmama.com/?p=1526 #weteach #ece
This contest ends on Monday, March 21, 2011 at midnight ET.
Do you want to share a book that moved you? Let me know!
The just 1 book feature gives everyone a chance to share their love of literature and the power of books. Guest writers are invited to share a book that moved him or her:
‘all it took was just 1 book’. . . to get you thinking, get you moving, get you arts-and-crafting, get you talking, get you writing, get you counting, get you traveling, get you thinking, get you cookin‘, dancin’ or dreamin‘.
And if you’re interested in guest posting for the just 1 book series, please let me know! Anyone and everyone is welcome; just drop me an email at teachmama@verizon.net
Try something NEW this week–anything!–and share with a link-up for this week’s New For Us Friday!
Related Posts
-
This guest post, by author Ann Malaspina is one of my absolute faves because I…
-
It's not always an easy topic to cover with children, but stranger safety should be…
-
Welcome back, just 1 book! It's been a bit since we've run this feature, but…
I LOVE the illustrations in “Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear?” by Martin Waddell, illustrated by Barbara Firth.
And I would love to guest post for this, I just need to get the email off to you!
I don’t know that one, Maryanne, but I’ll certainly look for it next time we’re at the library!
Would love for you to guest post for ‘just 1 book’–and will send you the info. Thank you!!
As a little girl I had “The Wizard of Oz” with illustrations by Charles Santore. Even before I could read all of it by myself I loved flipping through the pages and seeing the beautiful pictures. I always liked them much more than the movie!
my girls love go dog go, and where the wild things are. such classic books for young children! we would love to add more to our gigantic collection 🙂
Absolutely loved Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs for the illustrations that still bring back such memories as a child. Many others that come to mind as well. After I get back from the Disney conference, I will check in with you about a post. As a teacher, this sounds like a fun and rewarding project.
Beth! Sounds great to me–please do check in after your event and have so much fun–was a top-notch event last year, and I’m sure Disney will do it up doubly for year #2!
cheers, friend!
Too many favorites to pick just one, but today’s choice is Flostam by Weisner, makes me long for warm weather. I would love to win the book!
We like van dusen’s books especially circus ship and spoon forgot author.
An all time favorite of ours is “Moonhorse” by Mary Pope Osborne, illustrated by Saelig Gallagher. When our daughter was born, we used to read this to her every day. She loved the beautiful pictures and the story. It was her day time and night time story book for a very long time. Now that she is 7 years old and can read on her own, she still picks it up from her bookshelf to read from time to time!
Love the illustrations for Cool Bopper’s Choppers. This book is beyond awesome. Do yourself a favor and check it out. It’s a gem!
Thanks for the giveaway!
My favorite illustrations are by Jan Brett. I so enjoy her illustrations and stories.
The book “Olivia,” by Ian Falconer, was my favorite picture book of all time when I was younger, and still is. I loved just about everything about the art in this book. It’s wonderful use of black and white (And bright red), it’s great use of shadows, and it’s incredible way of filling up a page with simple drawings. The book even incorporated famous paintings into it’s art. Dark, shady art just had a way of making you want to look at the page. I remember spending hours staring at the illustrations, tracing over the lines with my eyes, soaking in every detail of every outfit Olivia wore and every way she made noise. Olivia is, and always will be, a true diamond in the endless heaps of children’s books, and I will never forget it’s incredible way of inspiring me.
Sweet bananas…I love everything in this post! I loved the same whimsical books, the same inspiring illustrators, the same beautiful unforgettable Kilmer lines, and the same magical sense of curiosity. Thank you! I’d say that one of my most favorite illustrated books is “Animalia” by Graeme Base. Actually anything by Graeme Base, but “Animalia” was my first introduction to him and I’ve been enchanted ever since. He’s here:
http://www.graemebase.com/publish/index.html
oh, now I’ll be staring at his website all day… 🙂
cheers!
nik–I’m in love. Did you really say ‘sweet bananas’? Can’t wait to check out Graeme Base. Gracias.
I LOVE the creativity of the illustrations in Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems 🙂
So many to choose from…but I really love James Marshall. His pictures are funny and the kids recognize anything he drew. They love The Cut Ups and Goldilocks, as well as the Fox books.
We love The Red Lemon by Bob Staake.
I LOVE the illustrations in Blackberry Mouse. They jump out as you read them. So pretty. 🙂
There are so many books that we love for the pictures but the two winners must be:
* The Snowy Day by Ezra Keats
* Le Tres Grands Livre des Reves by Soledad Bravi (the pictures are so beautiful that if you don’t speak french I would recommend it…. each double page is a dream, and after reading the book, kids should open it at the page of the dream that they want to make on that very night)
We’d love to win the book.
As simple as it is, The Giving Tree is still my favorite. The simplistic illustrations are awesome!!!
I remember reading “Go Dog Go” in the doctors office waiting room, it was one of the first books I read alone. I now need to make a library trip and take that one out for my daughter. Our current favorite book, “The Foot Book” by Dr. Seuss. The illustrations in those books all 44 of them, make me smile.
Mr.Maxwell’s Mouse by Frank Asch is awesome! Illustrated by Devin Asch. The pictures of cats and everything are just amazing!!!
My son is absolutely in love with the illustrations in Tuff Fluff. He constantly requests it from the library.
What a wonderful post by Mr. Warburton! I am inspired to find a copy of Go, Dog. Go! pronto and read it to my two year old. Meanwhile, there are our every night favorites, The Lil’ Critter Books by Mercer Mayer. We like All by Myself and The New Baby a lot right now. The illustrations are delightful and the stories keep my daughter engaged.
Hmmm I’ll have to check out go dog go with my son. Many of the dr. Suess books are too long for him to enjoy. We saw a go dog go production in slc and were both under impressed…he mostly noticed the actors colored shoes matched their shirts 😉
I love the illustrations in Dr. Suess books, it inspires imagination!!!!
miacarey@tds.net
I tweeted this giveaway
miacarey@tds.net
I posted on my Facebook Mia Dentice
miacarey@tds.net
I retweeted from you post
charliesmom2006
miacarey@tds.net
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg (author of The Polar Express) has the most interesting illustrations of any book I’ve ever read. (http://www.amazon.com/Mysteries-Harris-Burdick-Chris-Allsburg/dp/0395353939/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300666783&sr=1-1)
Highly highly recommended.
Do you like my hat? No, I do not like your hat. Goodbye. Goodbye. Can you tell I read Go Dog Go every night. My son loves the dog party and often asks me randomly throughout the day. “where are the dogs going? What will they do there?”
We also love the illustrations in the Pout Pout fish. Lots of detail and extra humor for mom– or older readers. Great post!