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Summary
Summary
Every summer, two brothers swim to the rock, and one jumps off. But this summer, it's time for both of them to take the leap. In this moving coming-of-age story, a younger brother discovers newfound strength, courage, and joy, thanks to the support of his older brother--and the persuasiveness of his own imagination. Warm pastel illustrations lend a timeless quality to youthful trepidation and triumphant achievement in this celebration of summertime.
Author Notes
With a background in teaching and a passion for encouraging children to read, Yves Nadon writes about and leads workshops on topics related to youth literacy. He is a founding director of the children's publishing company Editions D'eux, based in Sherbrooke, Quebec. This is his first book for Creative Editions.
Jean Claverie is an award-winning French artist whose work has been regularly exhibited in France and abroad for decades. He taught for more than 30 years at the école Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts and the école Emile Cohl, both in Lyon, France. He lives near Lyon.
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-A young boy learns to leap boldly into the unknown with the help of his supportive older brother. In the summer, a favorite pastime for the narrator is playing in the swimming hole near his family's lake house. Every year, the child watches and cheers as his brother effortlessly climbs to the top of a huge rock and fearlessly splashes into the water. Always too afraid to try the legendary jump himself, the little brother is apprehensive when told it's his turn. The lyrical text evocatively details the step-by-step journey to the top of the precipice: "The tree branch feels warm and rugged, familiar and encouraging, even." When self-doubt sets in ("What if I slip? What if I miss? What if I die?"), he quiets his thoughts by focusing on the mantra, "Breath. Heart. Breath, breath, heart." Claverie's pastel illustrations, on textured, brown, handmade paper, are full of nuances, like the successful jump reflected in a close-up of big brother's watchful, protective gaze. A series of metaphoric sketches show the young boy's fantasy transformation into a cat, a bird, and triumphantly, a fish. VERDICT A lovely story that celebrates the joys of summertime and steadfast sibling bonds.-Linda Ludke, London Public Library, Ont. © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Here I am, facing the rock." Every summer, the African American narrator's older brother jumps off a tall rock into the lake; this year, big brother says it's the narrator's turn. Nadon nails an older sibling's aura: intimidating ("He always made everything look so easy") and inspiring (the boy follows his brother's example). The art's sketch-like quality suits the narrator's shaky-giddy mood. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
Two brothers experience the power of nature and family in this stirring tale.While the story of two young brothers playing in a swimming hole seems simple, much of its depth lies in what is shown rather than said. In choosing to make the protagonists black while never explicitly referring to their race, the author and illustrator enable all young readers to understand and experience the transformative power of nature without resorting to preaching. Of equal benefit to readers is the depiction of successful black families as normal rather than exceptional and the child protagonists as ordinary people who love nature. The book's social aim is laudable and understated, but the narrative's heartfelt message of fraternal love combined with gorgeous illustrations make this exceptional. Claverie's use of lush green pastels evokes nature at the height of summer, and the muted brown of the rocks highlights the warm, darker-brown skin of the brothers as they climb a high promontory to leap into the lake below. Nadon's text works seamlessly with the illustrations to capture the lithe gawkiness of the protagonists' preteen bodies and the younger brother's childlike sense of fantasy as he imagines himself as a cat, a bird, and a fish to gain the courage to conquer his fear and jump in.A must-have for libraries and households. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Every summer, at our family's lake house, / my big brother and I swim to the rock. / Every year, he jumps off, as I watch and cheer, / too afraid to even try. In lovely language, this Canadian author shares the story of a smaller sibling's fear and determination to meet a challenge from his older brother: It's your turn now. To summon his bravery, the young boy imagines himself a cat, a bird, and a fish, finding in the characteristics of each the courage to successfully climb, soar, and dive. Claverie's pastel illustrations evoke a rustic summer upon which is set the sketch-like action of the encouragingly competitive and loving relationship between these two black brothers. The scenes, from a variety of perspectives, are framed with white space and give way, in moments of imagination, to full-page spreads on natural brown paper of human-to-animal transformation (imagine a more dignified take on the old Animorphs cover concepts). This is a relatable, touching, and artistic tale of a coming-of-age moment and a lifetime of brotherhood.--Medlar, Andrew Copyright 2018 Booklist