"I'm ON It!" Is on-point for Geisel Consideration

Taylor Worley (she/her) is a Youth Services Librarian for Springfield Public Library in Oregon. When not reading, she’s typically gaming, creating something, or collecting bits of nature. You can find her in various online communities at @magpiebricolage, @magpiemakesstuff, or @magpiereadsstuff.

Andrea Tsurumi is so on it with her contribution to the Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! series, “I’m ON It!” In the familiar and inviting style of the established series, Tsurumi excels in telling a cumulative story with minimal text.

When Frog sees Goat up on a tree stump, they are duly impressed. Eager to follow, Frog jumps upon a boulder. Not to be outdone, Goat picks up a tire to be, “...on it AND beside it!” Frog follows again, and on and on the duo goes until they are both, “...on it, along it, above it, inside it, through it, and AROUND it!” When Goat gloats, “I AM SO INTO THIS!” Frog realizes they certainly are not, and lets their tower crash to the pond below. Happily kicking back on a lily pad, Frog croaks, “I am OVER it.” Goat realizes that they, too, are over it, splashing into the pond and alleviating any tensions in the friendship. There is no question that “I’m ON It!” is an exceptional introduction to reading. The illustrations are funny with crisp, bright colors, and the text is approachable and engaging. When considering the specific criteria of the Geisel Award, does “I’m ON It!” still measure up? Absolutely. The Geisel Award criteria require that works provide a “page turning”, “stimulating and successful reading experience” for beginning readers. Tsurumi handily accomplishes this by building a scaffold in both the text and illustrations. Each page turn adds one extra element to Goat and Frog’s competition, with an added bonus of spatial reasoning. “I’m on it! … I’m on it and beside it! … I’m on it and beside it and inside it!” This format also exemplifies the criteria that words be gradually added and frequently repeated for the benefit of the reader. Not only does Goat repeat every element of the competition with each addition, but Frog also echoes Goat. As required by the award criteria, the illustrations clearly “demonstrate the story being told” and effectively “function as keys or clues to the text.” Tsurumi uses clear, medium-weight, black outlines for clean fields of color. The palette is cheerful and clean, with tonal accents to add dimension. Speech bubbles get priority placement, further emphasizing text and directing the reader’s attention. Those that linger on the silly scenes will notice fun details, including a familiar pigeon in flight. With all award requirements met (e.g. at least 24 but not more than 96 pages) and a strong showing in the core criteria, Goat and Frog should certainly be at the table for Geisel Award discussions this year. Regardless of final medals, however, they decidedly deserve a place on your early reader shelves. Let’s hope we see more of this duo in the future!