There's the whiskered man with the crossword puzzle Milo imagines him playing solitaire in a cluttered apartment full of pets. To pass the time, he studies the faces around him and makes pictures of their lives. I do not think the committee should be required to remove the pictures, but even if they do, Matt de la Peña has done remarkable things with the words alone here, and I don’t think his work should be disqualified just because he writes for our youngest readers.Milo is on a long subway ride with his older sister. If NEW KID had to stand alone without the images, it would not have won because it wouldn’t have been the particular (and particularly distinguished) book it is. Just like a graphic novel has helped us to understand how image and word can both be “read” as a single text (thank you to all those graphic novelists who pushed the form forward before Jerry Craft finally broke through to win!), this picture book is a unique example of the the ways text is the words AND is more than the words. The example of “like this … or this … or this… ” indicates just how much the pictures are a part of the writing process. IN part because Milo is drawing and in part because of the incredibly unique structure employed. The text (the literal manuscript) includes the pictures. Even though the words may work hand-in-hand with the illustrations to achieve that excellence.īut, the text here is different from someone writing a piece and someone else interpreting the text with pictures. If you look at the role of the author’s words in terms of “development of a plot,” “delineation of characters,” “interpretation of the theme or concept,” and “appropriateness of style,” though, and find these distinguished, you could make a strong Newbery case for this book. In the case of MILO, for example, the pictures certainly bring the setting to life, including the specifics about Milo’s ultimate destination. A skilled picture book writer usually lets the illustrations convey parts of some or all of those qualities. And try to identify in which of these, if any, the text is at a distinguished level. I think it’s helpful to look at the literary qualities that are named in the Criteria: theme/concept, information, plot, characters, setting, and style. The Criteria don’t say that the text needs to stand alone, though. The criteria state that the award is for the “text of a book.” And as Tamara points out, elements like illustration and design do not earn Newbery points (though they may jeopardize chances if they “detract”). We truly rely on the illustrations for deeper meaning.Įvaluating picture book text using the Newbery Criteria is always tricky. The only clue is passing through the metal detectors, which can be found in many buildings from a school to a library. That said, without the illustrations the prison setting is lost to the reader. All children need to see themselves in their books. I agree with you all regarding the importance of this topic in children’s literature. The text is truly exemplary, but it becomes picture book magic when it is paired with Christian Robinson’s illustrations. The Newbery criteria states “other aspects” of the book may be considered “only if they distract from the text.” I would argue that the illustrations enhance the text. The text does not stand on its own if we are holding the incarcerated parent or prison setting as “distinguishing” features. I do not, however, feel that it merits Newbery consideration. I hope it gets the Caldecott attention that it deserves. Let me begin by stating firmly that I think this is an award-winning title. 5), which highlights the mix of emotions he is feeling, and I loved the descriptions of the people around him, such as the lady who “has a face made out of light” (p. I loved that Milo is described as a “shook-up soda” (p. The writing also excels with beautiful imagery, metaphors, and alliteration that make the text flow. The illustrations by Christian Robinson are beautiful in this book, and Milo’s drawings are detailed and vivid. ![]() ![]() Along the way, Milo discovers that everything is not what it seems and that he should be careful to judge what another person’s life is like.Īs the book concludes, Milo is surrounded by his family in a touching reunion with an incarcerated parent. The strangers on the subway cars are depicted with having a large variety of skin tones, ages, and backgrounds. While Milo rides the subway, he observes the strangers around him and draws what he thinks their lives are like. ![]() Readers follow Milo as he goes on the city subway with his sister for a day out. ![]() Newbery winner Matt de la Peña is back with the stunning picture book, MILO IMAGINES THE WORLD, with illustrations by Christian Robinson.
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