PICTURE BOOK FICTION REVIEWS : Evelyn Del Rey is Moving Away by Meg Medina & Love is Powerful by Heather Dean Brewer
ABOUT THE BOOK
From Newbery Medalist
Meg Medina comes the bittersweet story of two girls who will always be
each other's número uno, even though one is moving away.
A big truck with its mouth wide open is parked at the curb, ready to gobble up Evelyn's mirror with the stickers around the edge . . . and the sofa that we bounce on to get to the moon.
Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela's best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today--not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it's time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special. The tenderness of Meg Medina's beautifully written story about friendship and change is balanced by Sonia Sánchez's colorful and vibrant depictions of the girls' urban neighborhood.
A big truck with its mouth wide open is parked at the curb, ready to gobble up Evelyn's mirror with the stickers around the edge . . . and the sofa that we bounce on to get to the moon.
Evelyn Del Rey is Daniela's best friend. They do everything together and even live in twin apartments across the street from each other: Daniela with her mami and hamster, and Evelyn with her mami, papi, and cat. But not after today--not after Evelyn moves away. Until then, the girls play amid the moving boxes until it's time to say goodbye, making promises to keep in touch, because they know that their friendship will always be special. The tenderness of Meg Medina's beautifully written story about friendship and change is balanced by Sonia Sánchez's colorful and vibrant depictions of the girls' urban neighborhood.
REVIEW
Friendship is a common theme in children's books as it is in real children's lives. There are many picture books available on making friendships. There aren't as many about friendships ending or getting interrupted. This tender story about friends saying goodbye captures beautifully the emotions associated with having a friend move away. Evelyn and Daniela spend one last afternoon enjoying the activities they've long done. But now those activities have a bitter sweetness to them. The girls make plans for getting together later, but those plans can't take away the sadness they feel. Sanchez's adorable illustrations depict so well the affection these girl's clearly have for each other and the difficulty they are having saying goodbye. A brilliant story that many children will be able to relate to and appreciate.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A little girl carries a big message--and finds it thrillingly amplified by the rallying crowd around her--in an empowering story for the youngest of activists.
Mari raised her sign for everyone to see.
Even though she was small and the crowd was very big,
and she didn't think anyone would hear,
she yelled out.
Mari is getting ready to make a sign with crayon as the streets below her fill up with people. "What are we making, Mama?" she asks. "A message for the world," Mama says. "How will the whole world hear?" Mari wonders. "They'll hear," says Mama, "because love is powerful." Inspired by a girl who participated in the January 2017 Women's March in New York City, Heather Dean Brewer's simple and uplifting story, delightfully illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is a reminder of what young people can do to promote change and equality at a time when our country is divided by politics, race, gender, and religion.
REVIEW
Activism can be seen just about everywhere currently. Protesting in the streets, signs in people's yards, messages painted on the streets, websites, social media connections of all kinds, one can't get away from activism of one kind or another. It's no surprise the topic has come up in a children's picture book as well. Based on a true story, the reader follows a young girl, Mari, as she helps her mother design and create posters for the January 2017 Women's March in New York City. It's clear the young girl doesn't fully understand everything that is going on, which is to be expected for a six-year-old, but her excitement at participating and having her voice heard are almost palpable. Pham's illustrations are gorgeous illustrations beautifully compliment this inspirational story of speaking up and speaking out.
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