by Sam Juliano
You know the kind. They parade around like the world revolves around them. They issue orders, exhibit zero patience, poor manners and an air of superiority. When they get what they want they are not appreciative, feeling they are entitled. They might not be wearing a crown, but in their own mind they are royalty. They take advantage of those with a penchant for masochism, and employ intimidation tactics against those ill-equipped to protest. The cries of indignation from those on the receiving end of such condescending behavior are cursed by their victims, many of whom assert What goes around comes around or Karma’s a bitch. Throughout children’s literature there are lessons to be learned about smug behavior, The perpetrator always gets a comeuppance comparable to what was dished out. In Bring Me A Rock! by Daniel Miyares a dictatorial grasshopper with a Napoleonic complex rules over his subjects in an insect hamlet with the proverbial iron fists, until the hand of fate reduces him to what he undoubtedly was before he decided to seize power in a bloodless coup. Hopper of Disney’s A Bug’s Life (voiced by Kevin Spacey) projects the same world view at the yellow crowned insect in Miyares’s book, though the procession of minuscule bugs carrying tiny rocks is more the domain of Dreamwork’s Antz. Another 2016 picture book about an insect community, Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis is also squarely in Caldecott contention. That it ends up that the tiniest bug in Bring Me A Rock! topples the king -think about the Biblical story of David and Goliath but without the fatal outcome- is a call for equality and the idea that every member of society has a place in the overall scheme. Some critics have suggested a Marxist implication, but I think the author illustrator was far more concerned with teaching children the importance of sharing and not allowing one person to undervalue others.
Miyares was thought by many to be a strong Caldecott favorite last year for his fabulous wordless book, Float, about one fleeting endeavor in a young boy’s life involving an adventure with a paper boat and it’s aquatic journey through rural streets on a rainy day. Float ended up on just about every year-end list of the best picture books, but as bad luck would have it, it failed to win committee recognition in what was a markedly competitive year. Again in 2016 the field is stacked, but Mirayes is here again for this pointed watercolor gem. On the very first double page spread following the copyright page that establishes the grassy world of the insects, an order is given by a grasshopper wearing a yellow crown: Bring Me A Rock! is actually posted in bold uppercase print script. A cadre of subservient aphids look up attentively, with a second grasshopper actually already with a medium size rock between two limbs. An addition is prominently posted on the next canvas, one noticeably darker to accentuate the no-holds-barred clarification. Miyares paints his easy-to-confuse-with-a-cricket tyrant as one hellbent on adherence, and the larger scale is a statement of domination. The Bigger The Better. The grasshopper again ups the ante: I Will Have A Majestic Pedestal Fit For A King, and one can’t help but think of the selfish wife in The Fisherman and His Wife by the Brothers Grimm, a fairy tale about ambition overload that results in the loss of everything that had been gained. In this enlarged tapestry Miyares shows the grasshopper’s five eyes which are part of two compound eyes and three simple ones.
One of the most irresistible spreads in the book is the one where the procession of insects are almost taken down by the weight of the rocks they are carrying to appease their master. As grasshopper looks on disapprovingly the entourage of insects carry stones of all sizes and shapes. A comparatively tiny horned beetle is the only one of this struggling brigade who sports a smile while carrying a smaller and discernibly brighter stone. As grasshopper receives his guests he makes a strong pitch to enter the World Book of Records for most ungrateful recipient of herculean favors. The three smaller vignettes depict grasshopper as impatient, fatigued and contrarian, before he meets the cheerful beetle. With the base of a newly positioned rock tower behind him the cantankerous bug expels the unsuspecting miniature helper with his most ferocious rejection of all: I Need Big Rocks, Not Puny Pebbles! Be Gone, Little Bug! As the workhorse red caterpillar returns with another back breaker to lead another procession, the saddened beetle heads away with his gemstone lookalike. After the stones are set one on top of the other the insects than stand on top of each other -as always caterpillar seems to always get the worst of the deal- to allow for the caterpillar to climb onto the top platform. The beetle spies the consummation from behind some leaves. At Last, My Throne is Complete. The overhead canvas showing grasshopper sipping on what appears to be a pina colada, as the others mill around down on the surface demonstrates brilliant use of perspective. A child may draw a comparison with this stone tower and the tall beanstalk that Jack use to reach the Giant’s castle. But inevitably this despoiler of congeniality is holding on for dear life after this rock tower nearly topples over. In four delightful vignettes this once happy camper is reduced to edge of the cliff histrionics. Help! he calls out to the others.
One would be mighty clueless not to figure out that the spurned beetle would come up with the life saving answer. I have an idea! The color merging and use of shadows in this canvas is dazzling. Beetles figures out that a simple pebble -in fact the one that was originally rejected will save the day. You Saved My Life! However Can I Repay You? grasshopper intones while tipping his crown. Beetle’s request for compensation is simply to ask these veteran lifters to bring more rocks. The final panel depicts seven stone towers all equal in size, one for each of the players in a game where height dictates authority. Even the heavens bathed in shades of red seem to approve of the lineup of co-monarchs. Either way grasshopper has been rightfully stripped of his preeminence. Bring Me A Rock! features saturated colors that establish atmosphere, a sharp contrast to the multi-colored insects. This is a place kids and adults will want to revisit. The yellow cover depicting the central deceit is funny and aesthetically exquisite. The Caldecott committee should be taking a very close at this sublime charmer during their upcoming deliberations.
Note: This is the forty-fourth entry in the ongoing 2016 Caldecott Medal Contender series. The series does not purport to predict what the committee will choose, rather it attempts to gauge what the writer feels should be in the running. In most instances the books that are featured in the series have been touted as contenders in various online round-ups, but for the ones that are not, the inclusions are a humble plea to the committee for consideration. It is anticipated the series will include in the neighborhood of around 50 titles; the order which they are being presented in is arbitrary, as every book in this series is a contender. Some of my top favorites of the lot will be done near the end. The awards will be announced on January 23rd, hence the reviews will continue till two days before that date.
Daniel Miyares
