Scarlet's Magic Paintbrush

In the fall, trees look as if they have been painted with a magic paintbrush.  Just a couple of weeks ago, the leaves on our deciduous trees blazed gold and red. 

Which brings me to Melissa Stoller's debut picture book, Scarlet's Magic Paintbrush. Who wouldn't want a paintbrush that painted perfect pictures of whatever you commanded? Masterpieces made easy! That's what Scarlet had until she lost her paintbrush. Other paint brushes didn't contain the magic. Scarlet even tried improvising with cotton balls and sticks. What happens in the end is better than a magic paintbrush--Scarlet finds and embraces her own talent and style. Are the pictures as perfect as the magic paintbrush's? Yes, but in a different way. 

This book would be a confidence builder for any budding artist. The illustrations by Sandie Sonke show an eager Scarlet finding her own way with kid-desired paintings of unicorns, castles, and princes. See a sample of plot and pictures in this book trailer:


I blogged about Melissa's Enchanted Snow Globe chapter book series in January.  Watch for more in this series and more picture books to come! Meanwhile, apply your metaphorical paintbrush to life with your own special style and see what happens!

Snow Globe Magic with Melissa Stoller

Snow globes do seem magical. Shake them, create a blizzard, and watch the flakes fall on the scene inside the globe. But what if the globe is really enchanted? Such is the premise in Melissa Stoller's Enchanted Snow Globe Collection, chapter books for young readers, illustrated by Callie Metler-Smith. The first book, Return to Coney Island , is based on a story from the author's family.

In the book, twins Emma and Simon enjoy hearing the story of how their great-grandmother and great-grandfather met at Coney Island. Soon, the magic of their grandmother's snow globe takes them there in the year 1928! The twins must think on their feet as they see similarities and differences between then and now. They experience the roller coaster, board walk, trolley, and other Coney Island attractions as they follow their great-grandmother as a young woman and make sure she meets her mate. What a fun way to make history come alive, and get kids thinking about their own families' pasts! The story is enriched by author Stoller's Family Book Club guide in the back, which includes discussion questions, a recipe, a craft, and family connection ideas. She also lists research links for readers who want to know more. I'm looking forward to the next in the series--The Liberty Bell Train Ride, coming in Spring 2018. Watch for Stoller's debut picture book in 2018, too!

For more about Stoller and her writing, see this interview with kidlit blogger and author, Vivian Kirkfield.

If you know me, you know I'm not a fan of winter, but here it is, January first in North America, so--