From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3-Six-year-old Michelle lives in Brooklyn with her mother, father, and little sister. A map of the U.S. highlights New York State while another one of Brooklyn showcases some neighborhoods as well as its proximity to the other boroughs. A bird's-eye view of the narrator's home reveals rows of attached buildings amid lush greenery. The child tells about her family, her school day, and seasonal activities-trick-or-treating, sledding in Prospect Park, blowing bubbles on the stoop, watching the Fourth of July fireworks from the rooftop, and taking the subway to Coney Island. The book's layout and the appealing, childlike watercolor illustrations are similar to those in Takabayashi's
I Live in Tokyo(Houghton, 2001). Set against crisp, white borders, the vibrant folk-art paintings vary in size from quarter-page images to full spreads. However, Michelle visits Central Park, the Museum of Natural History, Fifth Avenue, and the farmer's market in Union Square, and the author neglects to mention that these places are not in Brooklyn. Also, she never really captures the true flavor of the borough. While youngsters may be inspired to write and draw about their own lives after reading this tale, they will learn little about this diverse, historic place.
-Barbara Auerbach, New York City Public Schools Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Gr. 1-2. Six-year-old Michelle lives in Carroll Gardens, a neighborhood in the borough of Brooklyn, New York City, but her sweet, confiding voice is universal. Michelle tells about her day: getting up with her parents and sister, with Grandma coming over to babysit; running for the bus with her mom; working and playing at school. But her routine includes more: visits to Prospect Park and the Union Square greenmarket, trips with her class to places like the American Museum of Natural History, learning about drawing from her grandpa, and listening to stories before bed. Takabayashi (
I Live in Tokyo, 2001), who now lives in Carroll Gardens herself, offers a love letter to the neighborhood and to her adopted city. Sunny, beautifully patterned watercolors are full of delightful detail. In a folk-art style, they capture the diversity, bustling moments, and serenity of home sweet home.
GraceAnne DeCandidoCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
