There’s been very little sunlight in Chicagoland lately. Lots of cloud cover. Lots of quiet. Since the coronavirus pandemic led to school closure about two weeks ago, it’s been on us, as a family, to find our glow.
We look for it everywhere, without even realizing we’re searching. We seek sparkle in made up and wildly unsafe activities (rollerskating basketball, anyone?) and in dependable places, like our puddle-covered neighborhood path.
And in books, of course.
A few hours before our local library closed, due to coronavirus, we picked up about two dozen titles that I had on hold. What an important stop that was! Stories have been an essential part of our new and strange stay-at-home life.
While home 24/7, I’ve also been on the lookout for a brand new title. A book that might deliver a little extra color, a little bit of shine, a sprinkle of hope. Something all of us need right about now. FROG BOOTS by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Joshua Heinsz, splashed into our home at just the right time…
FROG BOOTS (Sterling Children’s Books, March 2020) is a story about discovering something new and exciting, only to find that others see it, well… differently. In this tale, a boy named Dylan is about to start at a new school. He’s looking for just the right thing to wear on his first day when he sees an awesome pair of rain boots. He wears them with pride, until someone tells him that his boots are for girls. Hurt and embarrassed, Dylan must decide if his boots are meant to hide or shine. Here are three things that I love about FROG BOOTS…
Heart & Happiness
Dylan goes shopping with his mom, looking for something new - something to make his first day at a new school special. After a string of disappointments, he sees the perfect item: Poison dart frog rain boots! Dylan is so pumped that he doesn’t notice his mom’s hesitation. He simply has to have the galoshes.
As diamonds of color dance around his new boots, Dylan dances across the pages of the story. His smile? Irrepressible. Dylan is so excited, in fact, that he wears the boots to bed, which is how he discovers that they are even cooler than he had originally thought, because… they glow in the dark! His joy bubbles over, making it abundantly clear: These boots are tethered to Dylan’s heart.
School-Day Dynamics
Dylan is sure that his new classmates will think he’s as cool as his boots. So when he arrives at school, he can’t help but flaunt his new fashion. The other kids stare, alright. But not for the right reason. “That boy’s wearing girl boots,” a student says. Dylan is crushed.
Esbaum’s word choice powerfully conveys Dylan’s discomfort and sadness. (“Dylan slowly pulled back his feet, feeling sweaty and prickly and dumb.”) Meanwhile, Heinsz vividly captures how quickly Dylan’s pendulum swings from top-of-the-world to so-very-small. Without vilifying Dylan’s classmates, the school-day dynamics in FROG BOOTS connect, viscerally and relatably.
Bold & Beautiful
Once back in the safety of his home, Dylan works through some complicated feelings. He tries to push his anger and sadness away, but his dreams remind him that the boots are more than fashion - they are a reflection of something he loves (science!) that just happens to be purple. In time, Dylan finds his footing, as well as a brave path forward. These scenes of realization are rich and saturated, awash with the kind of color that you can feel when you’re walking tall, true to yourself and no one else.
Spirited, emotive and victorious, FROG BOOTS shows how when one boy steps into what he loves, he also steps into who he wants to be. Exactly himself. FROG BOOTS publishes Tuesday, March 31, 2020. It’s available online and also can be ordered through your local independent bookstore - just give them a call!
Jill Esbaum is the author of many books for children, including WE LOVE BABIES (National Geographic Kids), HOW TO GROW A DINOSAUR, illustrated by Mike Boldt (Dial), FRANKENBUNNY, illustrated by Alice Brereton (Sterling), IF A T. REX CRASHES YOUR BIRTHDAY PARTY, illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova (Sterling), TEENY TINY TOADY (Sterling). ELWOOD BIGFOOT: WANTED: BIRDIE FRIENDS, illustrated by Nate Wragg (Sterling), I AM COW, HEAR ME MOO! illustrated by Gus Gordon (Dial), and many more.
Joshua Heinsz is the illustrator of numerous books for children, including EXCEPT WHEN THEY DON’T by Laura Gehl (Little Bee), A PAINTBRUSH FOR PACO by Tracey Kyle (Little Bee), RAINBOW RANGERS: THE QUEST FOR THE CONFETTI CRYSTAL by Summer Greene (Imprint), CHIP AND CURLY by Cathy Breisacher (Sleeping Bear Press), and many more.
One lucky reader will win FROG BOOTS, signed by Jill Esbaum! Here's how to enter:
*** Win FROG BOOTS ***
Simply...
1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)
2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter
3. Retweet my pinned contest tweet by 4/3/20
(Submit a blog comment below and get a BONUS ENTRY!)
GOOD LUCK!