Helen Frost (1) (1949–)

Like a diamond, the concept for Diamond Willow is brilliant. Twelve-year-old Willow is named after a stick, a diamond willow stick, to be precise. When branches are cut from the willow, a diamond shaped scar is left on the branch. Written mostly in first person verse, each page of Willow's thoughts is a diamond-shaped poem; but the brilliance is not in the shape of the poem, it lies in the gem within. Nestled within each poem is a small truth - a truth that resides within Willow but cannot show more be seen from without,

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"What
I love
about dogs;
They don't talk
behind your back.
If they're mad at you,
they bark a couple times
and get it over with. It's true
they slobber on you sometimes.
(I'm glad PEOPLE don't do that.) They
jump out and SCARE you in the dark. (I know,
I should say ME not "you" - some people aren't'
afraid of anything.) But dogs don't make fun
of you. They don't hit you in the back
of your neck with an ice-covered
snowball, and if they did, and
it made you cry, all their
friends wouldn't stand
there laughing
at you.
(Me.)"

Diamond Willow takes place in a remote Alaskan town where dogs and snowmobiles are the most common form of transportation. Willow is most comfortable with her family and her dogs, especially now, since her closest friend has a boyfriend. When an accident occurs while Willow is mushing the dogs, Willow uncovers the truth within, as well as a closely-held family secret.
More than just a coming-of-age story, Diamond Willow is a mystical tale of Native American and other ancestor spirits that reside within the creatures of the Alaskan wild.
A thoughtful look at the meaning of family, loss, friendship and love. show less

The simple rhyming text in this lovely photographic picture book invites the reader to step gently out into the world, watching carefully for all of the marvelous little creatures that can be seen. From bees to ants, grasshoppers to fireflies, all kinds of wonderful insects (and arachnids!) are depicted in the gorgeous close-up photographs. The book closes with a brief section giving more factual information about each insect or spider that was mentioned...

Published in 2012, Step Gently Out show more was the first of author Helen Frost and photographer Rick Lieder's picture books celebrating the natural world—a collection that would come to be called Step Gently, Look Closely. As it happens, I picked up a subsequent title from this pair, Among a Thousand Fireflies, which was my introduction to their work, and to the collection. I lost no time in seeking out this initial title, and am glad I did. The simple text evokes the wonder and beauty of the natural world and these tiny creatures, while the photographs are just breathtakingly beautiful. I don't read many photographic (as opposed to illustrated) picture books, so these books are something a little different for me, and I will definitely be seeking out more. Recommended to young nature and insect/arachnids lovers, as well as to those seeking photographic picture books. show less

A firefly alights on a flower one summer night in this lovely photographic picture book, looking for a mate whose flash of lights matches her own pattern. Dozens and then hundreds of flashes go off around her, but she waits until she finds the right one, sending out a responding pattern of flashes once she does. Among a thousand fireflies, these two find one another...

I was transfixed the other night, upon looking out my window after some rain and seeing some fireflies flashing in my back show more yard. It had been a few years since I had seen any (mostly because I don't tend to spend my evenings outdoors), and I was reminded of how enchanting I found these insects as a girl, and how magical their twinkling lights have always seemed to me. It was then that I decided to try to track down some picture books about the subject, requesting this one and a few others from my local library. I wasn't sure what to expect from Among a Thousand Fireflies, as I was unfamiliar with both author Helen Frost and photographer Rick Lieder, but I discovered to my pleasure that the book was quite charming. The text is very simple, with at most a phrase or sentence per two-page spread, and expressively describes the process whereby these two fireflies find one another. More information is given on fireflies in a brief note at the back of the book, but it's clear that this is intended less as an informational book, and more as one which captures and celebrates the wonder of this natural phenomenon. The accompanying photographs are just gorgeous—detailed and beautiful!

I don't encounter very many picture books illustrated with photography, which is probably why this one reminded me of titles like Carl R. Sams & Jean Stoick's First Snow in the Woods: A Photographic Fantasy, and that pair's other books about deer in the woods, which are likewise illustrated with beautiful photographs. Apparently Frost and Lieder have a few more books in this vein themselves, which I might have to track down. In any case, this is one I would recommend to young firefly lovers, and to anyone seeking photographic (rather than illustrated) picture books. show less

I like how this book presents a nuanced story about the institutionalization of a young deaf boy -- his family weren't allowed to keep him at home, testing for 'teachability' was extremely poor, treatment at the school was horrific, some people got out. The verse is well done -- accessible and flowing. It's also very cool to learn about the effect that conscientious objectors in WWII had on bringing the many shortcomings of institutions to light, and changing them for the better.

I really show more appreciate that Frost treats Henry and his friends as real human beings, as intelligent and able individuals who are stuck in a nightmare of misery. I hate that I should have to commend her for that, as it seems like a baseline, but she does an excellent job. I like that this particular book has a happy ending for some of the children, even though it is based on a more tragic reality. I love that she shares the story and poetry she based this story on -- poems by a young woman whos brother was removed and was never restored. I also like how poverty is highlighted in how it affects what happens to Henry. There's a lot going on, it's a good story about a specific time and place, and it adds to the fiction available about deaf history. That said, it's not written by a person with personal experience with deafness or cerebral palsy or down syndrome and I am not qualified to judge how well she presents characters with those conditions. show less