By Matt de la Pina Illustrated by Christian Robinson
This post and the one to follow were prepared in draft this past spring after visiting my granddaughters in Baton Rouge. A search for quality titles to take to them reaped this one for Lucy (preschool) and the next one for Evie (kindergarten). This grandma and reading teacher always gets behind in publishing, but rest assured these blog posts about quality literature which builds character will continue to spill out for years to come. If you "follow" the blog you will catch the posts!
Wow! Take a look at the awards this recent picture book received! You may be familiar with the best illustrated book of the year that is awarded the Caldecott Medal. This received both a Caldecott Honor award and a Coretta Scott King honor award for its illustrations. Yet, this title ALSO was the winner of the best book written for children, the Newbery. Usually given to novels for ~ grades 3 - 9, this is a stunning achievement for a picture book. School Library Journal recommends it for grades K-2, but Lucy, a preschooler, was touched by the message, and I know that it will resonate with students up through eighth grade and beyond - including adults. Please read and share this book with anyone!
The review from School Library Journal portrays the layers of meaning in the simple plot:
After church on Sundays, CJ and his nana wait for the bus. It's a familiar routine, but this week CJ is feeling dissatisfied. As they travel to their destination, the boy asks a series of questions: "How come we gotta wait for the bus in all this wet?" "Nana, how come we don't got a car?" "How come we always gotta go here after church?" CJ is envious of kids with cars, iPods, and more freedom than he has. With each question, Nana points out something for CJ to appreciate about his life: "Boy, what do we need a car for? We got a bus that breathes fire." These gentle admonishments are phrased as questions or observations rather than direct answers so that CJ is able to take ownership of his feelings. After they exit the bus, CJ wonders why this part of town is so run-down, prompting Nana to reply, "Sometimes when you're surrounded by dirt, CJ, you're a better witness for what's beautiful." The urban setting is truly reflective, showing people with different skin colors, body types, abilities, ages, and classes in a natural and authentic manner. Robinson's flat, blocky illustrations are simple and well composed, seemingly spare but peppered with tiny, interesting details. Ultimately, their destination is a soup kitchen, and CJ is glad to be there. This is an excellent book that highlights less popular topics such as urban life, volunteerism, and thankfulness, with people of color as the main characters. A lovely title.—Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN
And here is the string of awards:
Winner of the 2016 Newbery Medal
A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book
A 2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book
A New York Times Bestseller
A New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book of 2015
An NPR Best Book of 2015
A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2015
A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2015
A 2015 Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A Horn Book Best Book of 2015
BookPage’s “2015’s First Must-Read Picture Book”
The Huffington Post Best Overall Picture Book of 2015
A Boston Globe Best Book of 2015
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2015
Chosen for the New York Public Library’s 100 Books for Reading & Sharing List
A Miami Herald Best Children’s Book of 2015
A Raleigh News & Observer Best Children’s Book of 2015
An Atlanta Parent Best Book of 2015
A San Francisco Chronicle Holiday Gift Guide Pick
A Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature “Best Multicultural Books of 2015” Pick
A Scholastic Instructor 50 Best Summer Book
Chosen for the ALSC 2015 Summer Reading List
A Horn Book Summer 2015 Reading List Pick
Chosen for School Library Journal’s 2015 Top 10 Latin Books List
A Kansas City Star Thanksgiving 2015 Roundup Pick
A Winter 2014-2015 Kids' Indie Next Pick
2015 E.B. White Read Aloud Award Finalist
Nominated for the 2016 Washington Children’s Choice Picture Book Award
Nominated for the 2016 Kentucky Bluegrass Award
I took this book out from the library and liked it so much that I bought a copy for myself at the most recent Birchwood book fair :) The book's many positive messages are subtle for younger readers, but the bright illustrations hold their attention.
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