Welcome to Smarty Books, a monthly newsletter featuring smart and sweet picture books to inspire young readers. (3-4 minute read)
Our book today is Hannah and Sugar by author and illustrator Kate Berube. This is one of my favorite picture books and a model of what I think is a perfect picture book.
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Summary
School-age Hannah is afraid of dogs and never wants to pet her friend’s dog, Sugar. But one day, Sugar is lost, and the whole neighborhood searches for her. When Hannah hears a sound near her home, she gathers all her courage and finds and saves Sugar.
Why I love this book
The simple, repetitive text has a great balance of dialogue and description.
The warm and cozy illustrations convey the characters’ emotions and the passage of time.
One clever illustration is an all-black spread that puts the reader inside Hannah’s head at the moment when she is confronting her fear. This spread creates an opportunity for discussion with your child: “What do you think she is feeling right now? Have you ever felt like that? What do you think she will do next?”
Hannah overcomes a fear on her own and is transformed by the end of the story.
Hannah and Sugar is a deeply satisfying book.
Author Interview
Kate Berube (Bear-uh-bee) is the author and illustrator of Hannah and Sugar. She graciously agreed to answer a few questions about the book’s creation.
Sarah W: What was the genesis of Hannah and Sugar?
Kate Berube: This story was inspired by a short interaction of children and a dog I witnessed at a school bus stop. Some children I knew had adopted a new dog and all the children that got off the bus were so excited to meet him, except for one. I also had been thinking a lot about how important it is to be brave in life. And how bravery isn't always what we think. It's only brave if doing the thing is scary to you, if it makes you tremble inside a bit. There are many important small acts of bravery we can find ourselves challenged to do daily.
Sarah W: What did you enjoy most about working on this book?
Kate Berube: Hannah and Sugar was such an exciting book for me to make because it was my first published book (It was also a bit scary for me for that same reason). What I most enjoyed about working on it was experiencing the satisfaction of the pieces all coming together. Writing a picture book is a slow, meandering process. And you often feel lost and unsure if the story will ever be resolved. I remember writing all the different drafts and trying out so many ideas. It took me a long time to figure out the story, it started out so much more complicated than finished. So finally seeing all my many days and months and years of pecking away at little parts of it come together to make a nice tidy package was really wonderful.
Sarah W: What's next for you?
Kate Berube: I have some new stories in the works but nothing I'm able to share yet! I've recently refocused my creative energy on just following what makes me curious and seeing where it takes me. I think it's so easy as an artist to lose track of what made you excited about making art in the first place as you strive for "success." And then you lose that original spark and struggle to make work. My advice for anyone in that position (and for myself) is to put that idea of "success" aside as much as possible and strive for a playful spirit in your art making. This week I'm experimenting with Gelli plate monoprinting— it's something new and fun for me and I'm excited just to play around and see what emerges.
More about Kate Berube
Kate Berube grew up wanting to be an artist in a cow-filled Connecticut town. She now writes and illustrates picture books in Portland, OR. Kate’s authorial debut, HANNAH AND SUGAR, was shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize, and won the Marion Vannett Ridgway Award and the Oregon Book Award for Children's Literature. Check out her books on her website https://www.kateberube.com. Find her on Instagram @kateberubebooks.
Hannah and Sugar was published in 2016 by Abrams Books for Young Readers.
My February News
My story “Lia’s Day” was printed in the February issue of Highlights High Five. Take a look at a copy at your local library.
Happy reading until we meet again!
— Sarah
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Leave a comment to let me know your thoughts on Hannah and Sugar or another of Kate Berube’s books. I’d love to hear from you.
This is so cool, Sarah! Congrats on making it happen. You’re going to bless lots of parents and kids!🤓
Just found your Substack! Love these recommendations! 🫶🏾