Yo! Yes? (Scholastic Bookshelf) [Paperback]

Chris Raschka (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2007 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Scholastic Bookshelf

An effective, unusual 34-word story of the beginnings of a friendship, accompanied by wild and wonderful illustrations. Against pastel backgrounds, in vibrant, colorful images, an African-American boy and a white boy meet on the street. [Their] one- and two-word exchanges on each spread lead to a tentative offer of friendship, sealed as both boys jump high in the air and yell Yow!" With a beautifully balanced, economical style, the book illumines the peaks and pitfalls of getting acquainted, and puts in a good word for brotherhood as well." --School Library Journal, starred review

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Raschka's innovative picture book aims to explore the nature of friendship in only 34 words. It's a risk, but as a writer and artist Raschka is no stranger to risk-taking--his debut ( Charlie Parker Played Be Bop ) was a sly, joyous exercise in avant-garde that stretched the definition of picture book. And here, he does the same. After the briefest of exchanges, two boys--one black, one white, one shy, one outgoing, one nerdy, one street-smart--decide to take a chance on friendship. Like a two-character play with no scenery and minimal dialogue, the story relies on the expressiveness of the "actors" and the raw energy of the artwork to hook the reader. Raschka's watercolor and charcoal pencil illustrations certainly do the trick--they're brash, witty and offbeat, and easily portray a vigorous range of emotion. At least in the small realm of this cheeky picture book, less is definitely more. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-- An effective, unusual 34-word story of the beginnings of a friendship, accompanied by wild and wonderful illustrations. Against pastel backgrounds, in vibrant, colorful images, an African-American boy and a white boy meet on the street. "What's up?" "Not much." "Why?" "No fun." "Oh?" "No friends." These one- and two-word exchanges on each spread lead to a tentative offer of friendship, sealed as both boys jump high in the air and yell "Yow!" The succinct, rhythmic text and the strong cartoonlike watercolor-and-charcoal illustrations are perfect complements. The feelings of each child run the gamut from loneliness, curiosity, fear of rejection, and hopefulness to, finally, joy; the illustrations do a particularly fine job of limning each boy's emotions in very simple images on the oversized pages. With a beautifully balanced, economical style, the book illumines the peaks and pitfalls of getting acquainted, and puts in a good word for brotherhood as well. Amusing for story times, or for use in discussions of feelings, it is fun to read and look at, and appealing to the eye, ear, and heart. "Yow!"-- Judy Constantinides, East Baton Rouge Parish Main Library , LA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Inc. (January 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0439921856
• ISBN-13: 978-0439921855
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 7.7 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,478 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yo! Yes? in the classroom, May 26, 2000

By 

Sandra McCoy (Gallup New Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yo! Yes? (Paperback)

Yo! Yes? is the first book I read to my class each school year. We use it in several ways. First, I explain to my class that sometimes we need a way to focus our attention. So when I say Yo!, they should say Yes? and then stop talking and listen carefully. Next we use this as a guided reading book so that the children can practice how to use punctuation to decide voice inflection when reading. Later still we use the book as a springboard for a discussion of Conflict Mediation and then friendship. I love this book and so do the children in my multiage classroom because in so few words it conveys so much.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great foreign language book!, September 12, 2006

By 

Anne Bellavoine "Vox Amicus Terrae" (Brea, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Yo! Yes? (Paperback)

When I first saw this book I immediately purchased it at the Scholastic book fair. I then translated it in French & Spanish (available upon request!). It makes a great beginning ESL book as is & foreign language pronoun and pronunciation book because of its simple question/answer and comment structure between two buddies, appropriately of different ethnic/racial backgrounds. Kids really respond to this (& even adults!) in foreign language classrooms, wanting to mimic the dialogue. I often separate the class (left/right or boys/girls) to do so. Great fun way to memorize dialogue and learn proper intonation.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Babies love it!, March 21, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Yo! Yes? (Caldecott Honor Book) (Hardcover)

My 17 month old daughter adores this book and will probably have it memorized, gestures and all, within the month. Inflection is key here and it's something babies start to work on even before they know words. The story is meant for an older (pre-school) audience, but the fun-with-language aspect of this book makes it great for even the littlest listeners.