Summary
Summary
"Bad truck, bad guy; bad wave, bad bye . . ." A boy and his family are packing up their old home, and the morning feels scary and sad. But when he arrives at his new home, an evening of good byes awaits: bye to new friends, bye to glowing fireflies, bye to climbing trees. The New York Times bestselling author Deborah Underwood's spare text and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner Jonathan Bean's lush, layered illustrations perfectly capture the complex emotions of moving day. The child-centric transition from dreary morning to cheerful evening comforts young readers facing big changes of their own.
Author Notes
Deborah Underwood grew up in Walla Walla, Washington. Her father was a math professor and her mother taught English. After college, she became a street musician, then she worked in an office typing memos for accountants. During her breaks she would write screenplays. She finally decided to write for kids. Deborah also started writing nonfiction at the suggestion of her publisher.
Her children's titles include: The Quiet Book, The Christmas Quiet Book, A Balloon for Isabel, Sugar Plum Ballerinas, and The Loud Book. Her nonfiction titles include: Mexico or Bust, Animal Secrets, 101 Ways to Save the Planet and Ballroom Dancing. In 2014 her title, Here Comes The Easter Cat, made The New York Times Best Seller List.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 1-A little boy is unhappy about a move to a new town, and as the family drives away from their familiar neighborhood, everyone in the car shares his sorrow. Slowly, the child's spirits lift, and he realizes that the new house may actually become a home. Concisely chosen, two-word phrases accompany the atmospheric illustrations, which aptly portray the youngster's changing emotions and tell the complete story. Drawn in ink with Prismacolor Tone, the collagelike pictures first show the boy and his dog struggling to prevent the movers from taking their possessions. The scenes of the family sadly waving good-bye to neighbors are shadowy and gray with overcast skies and a torrential downpour. Gradually the mood and palette brighten. At dusk, they drive into their new town. The movers unload the truck, and the boy explores his new room, spotting a friendly kid through the window. The new pals spend the evening catching fireflies and happily wave to each other as their mothers call them in for the night ("Good friend/Good bye"). Pair this engaging story about the uncertainties of moving with Phillis Gershator's Old House, New House (Marshall Cavendish, 2009).-Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
It seems like there's no good to be found in moving away and leaving friends behind: "Bad truck/ Bad guy/ Bad wave/ Bad bye." But as a family makes their way across the country, a sense of adventure kicks in, "bad" is gradually supplanted by the possibilities of a "New town/ New park/ New street/ New bark," which in turn hold the promise of life being "good" again. Underwood's (The Quiet Book) ultra-succinct verse hits all the emotional marks that go along with a big transition. Bean (Building Our House), meanwhile, seems to take the topic to heart by moving in a new direction himself. He does wonderful things with light, starting with a gloomy rain scene and ending with soft, welcoming twilight. His colors-especially his reds-are gorgeously saturated, and often have a cellophane-like translucency. And his line is more geometric than before and lends the characters a look reminiscent of 1960s animation (maybe that's why Dad uses a paper map instead of GPS to navigate). Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Illustrator's agent: Anna Webman, Curtis Brown. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Told from a child's visceral, emotional perspective, this picture book depicts a family's long-distance move. Bad day / Bad box / Bad mop / Bad blocks / Bad truck / Bad guy / Bad wave / Bad bye. So begins Underwood's simple, understated text, which combines with Bean's expressive ink and watercolors. A boy sporting a red-striped shirt actively resists as movers (depicted only from the waist down) load boxes and belongings in the pouring rain. The stressed-out family drives off in their overstuffed car, but gradually the sun comes out and life begins to look better. After a refreshing night at a motel (Blue pool / Loud ice), they finally arrive at their reassuring destination: New kid / Good throw / New bugs / Good glow / Good tree / Good sky / Good friend / Good bye. Bean's artwork is a delight, fleshing out the story's outlines with interesting details that encourage further conversation. Stresses are realistically depicted, but there's never much doubt that this resilient family will adjust. Perfect for story hours or one-on-one sharing. Pair with Laurel Croza's I Know Here (2010) or Judith Viorst's Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move (1995).--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2014 Booklist