Sometimes You Fly

by Katherine Applegate (Author) Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Illustrator)

Sometimes You Fly
Reading Level: K − 1st Grade
From Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Applegate comes a sweet book of encouragement, filled with humor and insight into the effort behind any meaningful accomplishment in life. An ideal gift for baby shower, birthday, or graduation. Full color.
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Publishers Weekly

With a cast that ranges across the span of childhood, this book seems destined to be given at milestone moments. Each page turn contrasts "before" vignettes with wordless, triumphant "afters"--the result of learning, resilience, or maturity. The dinosaur fan who was too short to ride the "Dino-tastic" roller-coaster has, in the next scene, grown enough for the exhilarating ride, his hands flung high in the air. The girl who first looks at a book and sees only a mass of undecipherable markings becomes the kind of reader who can't put down a book even after lights out. Reinhardt's watercolor-and-ink portraits have a marvelous specificity that invites readers to connect more deeply with the diverse characters as they struggle, grow, and "sometimes... fly." Ages 4-7. Author's agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties; illustrator's agent, Marietta B. Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency. (Apr.)

Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 3 Up--Several developmental events from infancy to adulthood demonstrate that repeated efforts and even failures can lead to eventual success. The scenarios follow a pattern beginning with "before the..." placed on white ground above a picture of an unsuccessful effort, while the colorful reverse wordless page reveals the joyful exuberance of victory. For example, "before the seas..." depicts a small boy clad in water wings, arms crossed, head averted as he refuses to venture into a wading pool. The verso shows him confidently facing rolling ocean waves. Learning to drive, finding a soul mate, and graduation are among the other milestones represented. The illustrations, executed in ink and watercolor, are filled with humor. A bedraggled mom, hair askew, ingredients spilling over and even onto her baby's head, struggles to learn to bake. The following page reveals a lovely birthday cake with the guest of honor toddling happily across the floor. A driver's ed car carries the warning, "Beware! Student Driver" followed by a view of that driver enjoying a solo road trip. Reinhardt's scenes are inclusive of different families. The author concludes with some pages of advice and, most important, "What matters most is what you take from all you learn." VERDICT An excellent choice for solo or group sharing and a natural for commemorating a graduation or other milestone.--Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

★ ..".This charming and engaging celebration of life is a must-read and a must-have. A natural successor to Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places You'll Go! that deals with navigating life's ups and downs." —Booklist

"Exuberant and loving; sure to incite giggles from kids and teary smiles from adults and possibly to unseat Oh, the Places You'll Go! as a perennial graduation gift."—Kirkus

"With a cast that ranges across the span of childhood, this book seems destined to be given at milestone moments."—Publishers Weekly

"An excellent choice for solo or group sharing and a natural for commemorating a graduation or other milestone."—School Library Journal
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780358212263
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Clarion Books
Publication date
April 14, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039140 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
JUV057000 - Juvenile Fiction | Stories in Verse (see also Poetry)
Library of Congress categories
Persistence
Stories in rhyme
Children
Growth
Resilience (Personality trait)
Resilience (Personality trait) in children

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