My daughter’s school bus is almost always early. We peek out the door and there it idles, beacon-bright — a signal that home time has come to an end, and a new school day is about to begin. Now that winter weather has arrived in Chicagoland, blanketing the ground in white, it glows even more so…
As fresh powder came down last week, my kids went straight to the winter bins in the upstairs closet. Out came quilted, puffy, fuzzy gear. On went mittens, hats and boots. Then off they ventured, into air electric with new-season energy.
But what if the bus had never arrived? What to do then, with all that joy and anticipation? A beautiful new picture book imagines what might transpire, should unexpected flakes prompt a break from school-day routine. Meet BUS STOP!
BUS STOP - by author Angela H. Dale, illustrated by Lala Watkins (Cameron Kids) - is a celebratory, rhythmic story that highlights a neighborhood’s journey from sleepy-morning peace to rollicking play. An adorable cast of characters, depicted with vibrancy and individuality, provides the heartbeat and through line of this action-filled A-to-Z adventure. Here are three things that I love about BUS STOP…
A Jubilant Winter Wonderland
BUS STOP is a charmer all the way through, and my ardor with this new title began with its magnetic cover - an impactful color-block composition. Youthful jubilance bounces in each each artistic gesture. The title is stamped in soft, rounded, all-caps letters, reminiscent of a frosty imprint on a window pane, and all about the frame, oversized snowflakes dance, reflecting the big impact made on our hearts by these magical, delicate bits of precipitation.
Just inside the cover, color-washed endpaper give way to a bright white title-page spread — a clever foreshadowing of the snow to come. Then one-by-one, readers meet 26 children, each with their own unique spirit and sense of wonder. Their personalities are extended by distinctive clothing, hairstyles, accessories and mobility aids.
Art by Lala Watkins
Energetic Alphabetic Introductions
BUS STOP begins in a quiet neighborhood, where not a car or kid are in sight: Sleepy street. Still. Gray. Empty bus stop. School day. Then slowly, the street awakes. Students emerge from their homes. First Antoine. Followed by Beatrice, Carlos and Divya. As each new character is introduced, it becomes clear that a pattern is a play — an alphabet-guided array.
Kinetic verbs bring new names to the page: Hannah stomps. Isaiah romps. Joelle waltzes. Kartik wonders. Author Angela H. Dale employs rhyme and alliteration with each debut, creating lively lead-ins that encourage readers to find each new friend featured in illustrator Lala Watkins’s darling compositions.
Art by Lala Watkins
A Satisfying Circular Route
Where’s the bus? the children continue to wonder. But as snow continues to mount, so builds their excitement. Waiting is no hardship in these circumstances. As more kids gather and the snow deepens, Dale’s text goes farther into the alphabet, and playful abandon overtakes the spirit of the amassing friends: Lyric leaps. Mahmoud laughs, until at last Little Riya reports: NOOOO SCHOOOL! At this, the neighborhood officially becomes a playground, with the story taking a most-satisfying circular route as it concludes.
Art by Lala Watkins
So many children will see themselves in the pages of BUS STOP. As a reader who seeks out books that nestle into activities and experiences that everyone enjoys, it’s a delight to discover a new title that delivers exactly this. Fans of THE SNOWY DAY and A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS will love BUS STOP, a beautiful ensemble-cast picture book that spotlights winter merriment in a classic, enchanting way.
The Creators
Angela H. Dale writes picture books for children and for the grownups who read to them. Her debut BUS STOP (Cameron Kids), illustrated by Lala Watkins, published in October, and she has another unannounced project scheduled for publication in 2024. She lives in Maryland with her family and Harry the cat. Visit Angela online at www.angelahdale.weebly.com.
Lala Watkins is a kidlit author and illustrator, who enjoys adding more goodness and playful vibes in the world. Lala has worked in the consumer goods world as a product designer, product developer, product developer, illustrator, and graphic designer at big brands like Sanrio, Inc., Paper Culture, and Cartoon Network, and as an author and/or illustrator for Tiger Tales, Scholastic, Cameron Kids, and Union Square Kids. Visit Lala online at www.acaseoflala.com.
One lucky reader will win
BUS STOP
signed by Angela H. Dale!
1. "Like" this post (click the heart below)
2. Follow me (@anitraschulte) on Twitter
3. Retweet my contest tweet by 11/25/22
GOOD LUCK!
BUS STOP is available now through your local indie or bookseller of your choice, and signed copies are available at Books of Wonder, NYC.
What a great holiday gift! Grab a copy for a reader in your “neighborhood” today.