Bartleby Speaks!
Ages 4-8
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux/Melanie Kroupa Books • August 2009
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Illustrations from Bartleby Speaks! by Robin Cruise Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Kevin Hawkes Used by permission of Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, Inc. All rights reserved.
Bartleby Huddle is a sweet, happy child. He gurgles and coos, giggles and laughs, but he has yet to say a single word-not baby, not peekaboo, not even MINE! The rest of the noisy Huddles-Mama, Papa, big sister Isadora, and even the family dog, Ludwig-outdo themselves trying to make Bartleby say … something! It’s only wise old Grampy Huddle who understands that Bartleby will speak in his own good time, when he has something important to say.
Illus. © Kevin Hawkes 2009
The Story Behind the Story: My second son, Henry-forever the “middle child” sandwiched between his older brother, Andrew, and younger sister, Hannah-didn’t speak much until he had important things to say. (That doesn’t mean he didn’t signal exactly what he wanted from day one!) The lone intrepid “lefty” in a family of buttoned-up right-handers, Henry has always had his own agenda, his own highly creative approach to life, and his own timetable for getting things done (or not). Even now, though he’s all grown up, I sometimes think Henry sees and feels-and expresses!-things more deeply than the rest of us, which makes him the heart and soul of our family. These days, Henry uses his spirited presence in front of a camera, some video magic, a guitar, and his formidable writing skills to communicate beautifully. I say, “Hooray for introspective lefties everywhere!”
Say what?! Like sweet Bartleby, my spirited second son, Henry, chose to speak when he had something important to say.
Praise for Bartleby Speaks!
Every Child Should Have a Grampy Huddle
“Young Bartleby Huddle, a sweet-tempered little boy, has never uttered a word, and his reticence is a source of immense concern to his boisterous and demonstrative family…. His operatic mother sings him awake in the morning: ‘LISTEN, Bartleby!… Sing … Mama! Ma-ma!’ At bedtime, his father plays raucously on his cello: ‘LISTEN, Bar-r-r-r-tle-by! … Say … Papa! Pa-pa!’ His older sister tap-dances around him, even Ludwig the dog tries encouraging him (’Woof!’), but no matter how persistent each of them is, Bartleby remains contentedly silent. Hawkes’s riotous illustrations extend the lively text by portraying the high-decibel Huddle family as being as loud in appearance as they are in volume. In the midst of the cacophony, little Bartleby calmly goes about his business, a contemplative expression on his face. The clamor to get Bartleby to speak reaches a fever pitch at his third birthday celebration, which is where Grampy Huddle comes in. With their round heads and big sticky-out ears, grandson and grandfather share not just looks but a similar temperament. After some quiet time on the porch swing with Grampy, Bartleby does in fact speak. His first word? ‘Listen.’ Every child should have a Grampy Huddle in his life: an adult attuned to life’s quieter pleasures.” -The Horn Book
The “Beauty of Quiet”
“Wee toddler Bartleby is almost as inscrutable as his Melvillean namesake, though a sight more cooperative. He gurgles and coos, chortles and clucks-he just doesn’t speak. The distress of the rest of the Huddle family is cacophonous: Mama sings opera, Papa plays the cello, big sister Isadora tap-dances and even poodle Ludwig barks-all complete with loud-looking sound effects-hoping to inspire the jug-eared boy to join in the family conversation. He smiles and says not a word, though, till his third birthday, when his equally jug-eared Grampy takes Bartleby out to the porch for some mutual quiet time. When the boy blows out the candles on his cake, he speaks his wish: ‘Listen.’ Hawkes accompanies Cruise’s gently pointed text with characteristically comic line-and-color cartoons, varying vignettes with full- and double-page spreads that focus readers’ attention exactly where it needs to be, modulating noise and silence through artful pacing. A sweetly underscored paean to the beauty of quiet.” -Kirkus Reviews
* “Youngsters Will … Ask for Repeated Readings”
“Like most toddlers, Bartleby enjoys playing patty-cake, crawling, and jumping. But he doesn’t say a single word. His mother sings loudly in pig Latin, his father plays the cello at bedtime, and his sister shrieks as she tap dances around him. Still, he doesn’t talk. On his third birthday, after he enjoys sitting quietly on the porch swing with Grampy as they listen to and enjoy nature together, things change. Finally, Bartleby has something to say. Hawkes’s energetic illustrations will elicit smiles, especially at the notable resemblance between Bartleby’s ears and his grandfather’s. The characters’ expressive eyes, including the dog’s, add to the humor. Youngsters will wait with great anticipation for the hilarious conclusion and ask for repeated readings.” -School Library Journal (starred review)
“A Satisfying Whole”
“Bartleby Huddle, a winsome three-year-old with jug-handle ears, is the joy of his opera-singing mother, his cello-playing father, his tap-dancing sister and their enthusiastic poodle. But he won’t talk, no matter how much they clamor to show him how. It’s not until Grampy Huddle visits on Bartleby’s birthday that the boy’s real soul mate is revealed (no coincidence that Grampy has jug-handle ears, too). Out on the porch swing ‘they listened to the lilacs swish in the breeze. They swung. They held hands … And they didn’t say a word.’ Hawkes’s (The Road to Oz) clear, sunny watercolors lift the story to pleasing heights, like the balloons at Bartleby’s birthday party. There, like an oracle, Bartleby speaks at last: ‘Listen!’ is his first word-and his family does, hearing sounds they’ve never heard before. The story brightens considerably when Cruise (Only You) introduces Grampy. The dual themes-accepting children as they are, and understanding the meaning of silence-could easily compete for readers’ attention. Fortunately, in this duo’s hands, they appear as a satisfying whole.” -Publishers Weekly
