Uptown, story and illustrations by
Bryan Collier. In this picture book, a Coretta Scott King Illustrator
Award Winner, "Uptown" is Harlem in all its wonder. Collier
celebrates Harlem's architecture, landmarks, music, and personalities
with poetic imagery and beautiful watercolor/collage illustrations.
"Uptown is a barbershop. It's a place where last night's ball game
can be more important than what style haircut to expect." "Uptown
is little sisters. They're on their way to church in matching yellow
dresses." Collier's descriptions reveal the diverse elements that
make up this exciting community. Ages five to 10. (Henry Holt and Company,
2000)
The Last Dragon, story by Susan Miho
Nunes, illustrations by Chris K. Soentpiet. Peter Chang is unhappy about
spending the summer away from his family with his Great Aunt in Chinatown
until she buys him the old dusty dragon in the Lung Fung Trading Shop
window. As Peter works on cleaning and fixing the dragon, he is introduced
to the fascinating Chinatown community by learning what role each member
plays in making the dragon. Mr. Pang, the tailor, sews the dragon's
body; Miss Rose Chiao, the kite lady, fixes its tail; and Dr. Fong,
the herbalist, finds the dragon a set of eyes. Nunes and Soentpiet create
an entertaining book about the complex community of Chinatown and how
it rallies to resurrect the last dragon. Ages four to eight. (Clarion
Books, 1995)
The Car Washing Street, story by Denise
Lewis Patrick, illustrations by John Ward. On Saturday morning, Matthew
wakes his dad up when he hears splashing on the street outside. Even
though they don't own a car, Matthew and his father love to sit on the
steps watching the neighbors wash their cars. Junior Boy Taylor sets
the station on his radio, Mrs. Kennedy uses a pink towel on her pink
Cadillac, and Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez wash their station wagon with their
children. Something wild always happens. Today, when Junior Boy spills
some water on another neighbor, the street erupts in a water fight that
ends with everyone soaked and laughing on the steps of Matthew's house.
In this sweet story, Patrick pays tribute to the small details of a
friendly community as seen by a little boy living in it. Ages four to
eight. (Tambourine Books, 1993)
The Garden of Happiness, story by
Erica Turner, illustrations by Barbara Lambase. Marisol notices one
day that her neighbors are cleaning the abandoned lot down the street
and staking out garden plots. Each is planning to grow something special,
from black-eyed peas to sweet potatoes. Too late to get a plot of her
own, Marisol claims a large crack in the sidewalk in front of a wall
where the older kids are painting a mural. She plants one of the seeds
that Mrs. Garcia feeds to the pigeons. Watching over her "plot,"
she listens to the adults reminisce as their plants grow. Finally, Marisol's
sunflower grows fantastically tall, towering over the sidewalk and the
garden beside it. At the end of summer, she is saddened when this sunflower
begins to curl up and fade until she sees that the older kids have painted
her sunflower on the wall where it will stay bright and beautiful. Turner's
endearing story and Lambase's bright oil paintings reveal the efforts
of Marisol's community to transform a junked lot into a bountiful garden
together. Age four to eight. (Harcourt Brace, 1996)
Something Beautiful, story by Sharon
Dennis Wyeth, illustrations by Chris K. Soentpiet. Living in a community
where homeless people sleep on the sidewalk, broken glass covers the
yard, and the word "DIE" is written in graffiti on the wall,
a little girl searches for "something beautiful," something
that "when you have it, your heart is happy." For some, she
finds, it's a fried fish sandwich, a turn at jumping rope, a new baby,
or an old stone kept in a pocket; but she can't decide what it means
for her. Then she realizes that, for her, "something beautiful"
is all of these things; it's her entire community. She washes the "DIE"
off the wall and makes plans to plant a garden where the glass lies,
and to give the homeless lady in front of her house a bed one day. Wyeth's
story, with Soentpiet's realistic paintings, shows that beauty can exist
in any community and, more important, that sometimes it's up to you
to help create it. Ages four to eight. (Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Group Inc., 1998)
Chato and the Party Animals, story
by Gary Soto, illustrations by Susan Guevara. Chato has been a party
animal since he was a kitten. But his best friend, Novio Boy, gets sad
at birthdays because he is from the pound, doesn't know his birthday,
and never knew his mamí. Chato wants to change this so he plans
a surprise party, inviting the entire barrio, but forgets to invite
the guest of honor. When Novio Boy finally arrives, they celebrate with
dancing, piñatas, and food. Novio Boy realizes that Chato and
his friends are his familia. This fun story shows how friends can build
a loving family for someone who hasn't had one before. Ages five to
nine. (G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2000)
Somebody Loves You Mr. Hatch, story
by Eileen Spinelli, illustrations by Paul Yalowitz. Mr. Hatch never
smiles as he methodically leaves every morning at 6:30, eats lunch alone,
and silently buys his usual paper and turkey wing for dinner. All that
changes the day he gets a heart-shaped box of chocolates with a note
saying, "Somebody loves you." Not knowing who gave it to him,
Mr. Hatch starts being nice to everyone: baking brownies for his neighbors,
taking over for the newspaperman when he needs to go to the doctor,
and giving chocolates to his co-workers at lunch. Mr. Hatch newly found
happiness disappears when the postman returns to tell him that the package
wasn't meant for him. He begins to slip back into his depressing lifestyle-but
the next Saturday the entire community throws a party for him with a
sign that reads, "Everybody Loves Mr. Hatch." Spinelli's heartwarming
tale accompanied by Yalowitz's warm illustrations show how simple acts
of kindness can help to reveal the love of a community. By being nice
to others and opening himself up, Mr. Hatch realizes the joy that existed
around him the entire time. Ages five to 10. (Bradbury Press, 1991)
Amber was Brave, Essie was Smart,
story and illustrations by Vera Williams. Introduced as "the story
of Amber and Essie told in poems and pictures", this is the story
of two sisters who create their own two-person community of caring,
trust, and friendship to cope with being alone in their house after
school each day. While their father is in jail and their mother works
long hours, Essie and Amber take on different but equally important
roles to help each other and their mother. Williams offers a realistic
portrayal of two loving children who, despite minor fights and name-calling,
depend on each other for safety and love. Ages seven to twelve. (Greenwillow
Books, 2001)
