Jeannie Baker

Australian children's book author/artist Jeannie Baker delivers an immensely engaging wordless picture-book in Home, which follows the life story of a young girl who grows to adulthood in an urban landscape that, over time, and through hard work on the part of neighborhood residents, becomes a natural oasis. Each two-page spread sees Tracy at a slightly older age, while her back yard, and the street beyond, is slowly transformed. From the first step of planting grass where concrete used to show more prevail, to reclaiming their street, and blocking it off from automobile traffic, the people in this small corner of the city gradually remake their corner of the world, turning it from a collection of buildings into a home.

A wonderful book that, entirely through illustrations, tells an engrossing story, Home also has an important message to impart, about participating in the community around us, about wise use of our resources and space, in more crowded environments, and about the joys of nature, even in the city. The artwork itself is done in collage, and is incredibly appealing. Sometimes this kind of project works for me, and sometimes it doesn't: Jeannie Baker's book is definitely in the first category! I'm excited to try more of her titles (such as Mirror, which I currently have checked out from the library), and thank my online friends, as ever (Kathryn and Lisa: I'm looking at you, with this one!), for putting me on to such wonderful books, that I might otherwise never have discovered! show less

The second wordless picture-book I have 'read' from immensely talented Australian children's author/artist Jeannie Baker - the first was the marvelous Home - this innovative book is really two stories in one. Or rather, two iterations of the same basic story, that mirror one another. Opening on both sides, Mirror chronicles the day in the life of two boys: one living in Sydney, Australia, the other in Morocco's Valley of the Roses. These tales are obvious companion pieces, meant to be read show more together, in their facing page foldouts, and they follow their two young protagonists through days that are both similar and dissimilar. The clothing they wear and the food they eat may be different, but both begin the day by dressing, and by having the breakfasts prepared by their mothers. Their modes of transportation may be different, but both accompany their father into a public marketplace, of sorts, to conduct the business of either buying and selling - a process that turns out to be connected, despite the distance lying between Morocco and Australia. A wonderful, thought-provoking book, one that can teach about both human diversity and unity, Mirror is printed (title, introduction, afterword) in English on one side, and Arabic on the other, making this a book that truly can be appreciated by people from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Highly recommend to anyone looking for children's books about the world's diverse peoples, and those things that tie us together - think books like Children Just Like Me, or My Librarian Is a Camel: How Books Are Brought to Children Around the World - or to fans of Jeannie Baker, and wordless picture-books. show less

This is a nice story! It's so cool to me how you can build such an intricate, interesting story with no words at all on the pages! The story is about a couple that move into a new house/apartment in the city. They have a baby there and raise her up in the house. It shows the family building a normal house and making it into their home. They add a bunch of plants to the backyard and make it really beautiful and their own. At the end of the book in the author's notes, she explains how now that show more more people are living in cities that are newly built, that people often don't feel a connection with their house or their community. She wanted to show through her book that it is possible to build your house to be your home, as well as build community with others around you. She shows over the progress of the book how it takes time, but in the end it is worth it to have a place that you created into your home and not just a place you live. This book would be a good way to fuel discussion in the classroom about loving the space you live in and making it your own. It also is a good way to start a discussion around community and the importance that it is in our everyday lives. The illustrations in this book are very interesting. They look digital and are through the perspective of a kitchen window. It reminds me of an iSpy book. It just looks similar to the layout of one, and it's also fun to find all the little changes that occur on each page as the story goes along. show less

“Circle” is an informational book but is told by a little boy in a wheelchair that is imagining himself as flying with the birds. The whole story is focusing on the flock of godwit birds. The story is factual because it talks about migration, urbanization, and pollution. But, there is an underlying message focusing on the boy himself if you pay attention to the illustrations and the wording of the story. The boy focuses on one bird and keeps calling it the “the godwit with white show more patches” connecting to him as “the boy with the wheelchair/crutches.” Which can connect to the message of the story, which is being a little different does not mean it needs to hold you back in life. show less