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Jimmy the Greatest
Jimmy lives in a small Caribbean town where there's not a whole lot to do. Fortunately though, there is a boxing gym, and one day the owner, Don Apolinar, suggests that Jimmy start training. He also gives Jimmy a cardboard box full of books and newspaper clippings all about Muhammad Ali. Jimmy reads and re-reads as he never has before. He is swept with admiration for Ali who said, "I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was." He starts to feel good, realizing that he doesn't need to have a lot of fancy stuff, that he's a pretty good boxer himself, and that he can look forward to the future. But by the time Don Apolinar has to leave for the big city, Jimmy realizes that he can have a great life running the gym, creating a library, dancing and boxing…right where he is.
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First published January 1, 2010
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April 24, 2012
Once in a while I'll be impressed by a book for kids, pick it up to review it, and in the course of writing the review become more and more impressed as I return to the book for double, triple, quadruple looks. It hasn't happened all that much lately. Usually it requires a special kind of title. So when I saw Jimmy the Greatest! a month or so ago I thought it might make for a good review thanks to its subject matter. It's not like fun stories set in poor Latin America villages appear on my desk every day. I read it and enjoyed it but it wasn't until I reread it, and reread it, and reread it, and reread it some more that the sheer brilliance of this little number got to me. With a careful hand author/illustrator pair Jairo Buitrago and Rafael Yockteng have created a book that is an ode to the people who stay in small communities, helping and improving the daily lives of their friends and neighbors. This is a story that folks can relate to, no matter where they live. It's a paean to the heroes of small town life. Unsung heroes, I have located your book.
Jimmy's fishing village is not particularly big or impressive since "there is usually only one small church and, if you're lucky, a little gym where you can hit a punching bag, skip rope or box." Boxing is precisely what Jimmy and all the other kids in the village spend a lot of their time doing, until one day Don Apolinar (who runs the gym) gives Jimmy a box containing books, magazines, and information about a guy named Muhammad Ali. Suddenly Jimmy starts using those glasses he never paid much attention to before and he's reading everything he can get his hands on. In time, Don Apolinar leaves the village for the big city, but that's okay. Jimmy stays behind, opening a little library and improving the boxing ring, and making the village a better place.
I was discussing this book with a friend the other day and asked her, "Can you think of any other picture book where a character from a small town stays in that town to improve the lives of others?" She pointed out to me that while that may not happen in a lot of fictional picture books, it happens all the time in nonfiction ones. Of course usually in books like Planting the Trees of Kenya by Claire A. Nivola or She Sang Promise by Jan Godown Annino the hero goes away, gets some kind of training, then comes back to their village or tribe to improve life for others. The interesting thing about "Jimmy the Greatest" is that our hero stays to make things better without ever having left himself. Yet what I liked about this was that the book doesn't box Jimmy in. When he's growing up there's Don Apolinar to teach him and all the other kids in the village to read and to box. Once Don has made Jimmy into his replacement he feels he's free to pursue his own dream in the big city. The torch has been passed on and Jimmy accepts that responsibility but the key words at the end of the book are "But for now Jimmy is staying." Buitrago is allowing you to see this book as whatever you want to see. If you would like to believe that Jimmy will leave one day to seek fame and fortune, you can believe that. If you prefer to think that this is a book about making a difference rather than chasing rainbows then you can see it that way instead. What we can all agree on is that the book is sort of an ode to small communities and the people who do what they can to make their homes special.
If I am to remember 2012 for anything picture book-wise then I think I may remember it as the year when translators went above and beyond the call of duty. This year I've read numerous translated picture books that feel as though they were in English from the get-go. From John Jensen Feels Different to My Dad Is Big And Strong, BUT... translated books for young kids are being given a great deal of care and attention. Jimmy the Greatest! is no exception. Translator Elisa Amado brings Colombian author Jairo Buitrago's words to brilliant life. For example, there's a moment near the beginning of the book when Jimmy is walking back from the gym along the seashore when we read, "In his heart Jimmy was already a boxer, even though there were no boxing gloves at the gym, and someone there, maybe by mistake, had taken his shoes." I love that little "maybe by mistake" in that sentence. Amado is capable of conveying Buitrago's gentle humor and understated wit perfectly.
And part of what makes the writing so interesting is that Buitrago at times mimics and adopts Muhammad Ali's own boastful speaking style. Jimmy starts saying things like "I'm the champ. Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick, wrestled an alligator and got home in time to make lunch for Gramps." This turns around perfectly at the end of the book when Jimmy/Buitrago uses that style to explain why he's still in his small town. "We dance and we box and we don't sit around waiting to go someplace else." Something tells me a line like that could resonate with a lot of people, regardless of where they may live.
Illustrator Rafael Yockteng has collaborated with Buitrago before which probably accounts for how well the images and text mix and merge in this story. Yockteng's art is highly original. It's sort of a mix of The Simpsons and The Far Side, but with a sweet undercurrent. I'm not explaining this very well, but I may as well go for broke and say that it also has elements of Anno too. You see Yockteng does several interesting things all at once with this story. Right at the start when we meet Jimmy we see him in sort of a casual line-up with the other kids in the village. You don't really realize it but this is Yockteng's way of introducing you to everyone. When he pulls back and shows the whole village you get to see these characters in play. At the beginning of the book you see the village when Jimmy is a kid and at the end you see it when he's an adult. For fun I wanted to see if the village changed significantly over time and I was thrilled to see hundreds of tiny details that rewarded my curiosity. Yockteng may well be the master of the hidden joke. At the end of the book you realize that the stingray in the ocean has acquired a baby, Jimmy's grandfather is apparently buried in the yard, the palm trees are blooming, the village is growing, the boat maker is prospering, the preacher is still preaching, Jimmy's friend with the funny shaped head has grown up and has a kid of his own, and so much more! It's only equivalent that I can come up with is Jeannie Baker's Home, a picture book that celebrates the passage of time and the growth of a community. Maybe.
I don't want to fail to mention that Yockteng's art is also gorgeous, though. In one scene Jimmy sits on a beach at night and the sea and moon and stars and sky all radiate this kind of beauty and peacefulness. I know that Yockteng works solely in the digital realm, but you'd never know it to look at this book. Then there are the details about the village life itself that you don't notice until you read it a couple times. Jimmy's grandfather appears to be pretty out of it in general, but in a sweet benign way. I spent a better part of my rereads trying to figure out who took Jimmy's shoes (I'm sure the answer is in there somewhere). And of course I should probably mention that there are parts of the book that make it clear that this book was not originally published in America. Imported works for children sometimes (often) contain elements that throw U.S. audiences for a loop. The bare breasts in a Where's Waldo picture or pretty much anything Babette Cole has ever even looked at. This book doesn't carry that feeling often, but there is one spread where Jimmy presents his grandfather with a crocodile sliced up in its middle as a kind of reptilian sushi. Some parents will probably need their smelling salts, but it's not bloody or gory. Just odd.
We see plenty of picture books for kids that we feel are the literary equivalent of spinach and green beans. We know they're good for kids so we force them to read them, knowing full well in our heart of hearts that the little buggers will never want to pick those books up again. The secret to Jimmy the Greatest! is that after reading it once, you want to read it again. When you do you begin to notice tons of little details. You start to grow attached to the characters. The words of the story take on a new meaning even. This is the mark of a picture book that crosses over from merely good to great. Never mind that I haven't even really covered the fact that it all takes place in a Latin American village (and how often do you see amusing stories set there for the picture book crowd, I ask you?). Librarians talk a lot about giving kids books where they can see themselves, as well as books where they can see new places, people and situations. Jimmy the Greatest! is both a window into a new place and a mirror of where a lot of kids are and may be content to stay. A fantastic title and a book I'd encourage every community to purchase, regardless of where in the world you reside.
For ages 4-8.
Jimmy's fishing village is not particularly big or impressive since "there is usually only one small church and, if you're lucky, a little gym where you can hit a punching bag, skip rope or box." Boxing is precisely what Jimmy and all the other kids in the village spend a lot of their time doing, until one day Don Apolinar (who runs the gym) gives Jimmy a box containing books, magazines, and information about a guy named Muhammad Ali. Suddenly Jimmy starts using those glasses he never paid much attention to before and he's reading everything he can get his hands on. In time, Don Apolinar leaves the village for the big city, but that's okay. Jimmy stays behind, opening a little library and improving the boxing ring, and making the village a better place.
I was discussing this book with a friend the other day and asked her, "Can you think of any other picture book where a character from a small town stays in that town to improve the lives of others?" She pointed out to me that while that may not happen in a lot of fictional picture books, it happens all the time in nonfiction ones. Of course usually in books like Planting the Trees of Kenya by Claire A. Nivola or She Sang Promise by Jan Godown Annino the hero goes away, gets some kind of training, then comes back to their village or tribe to improve life for others. The interesting thing about "Jimmy the Greatest" is that our hero stays to make things better without ever having left himself. Yet what I liked about this was that the book doesn't box Jimmy in. When he's growing up there's Don Apolinar to teach him and all the other kids in the village to read and to box. Once Don has made Jimmy into his replacement he feels he's free to pursue his own dream in the big city. The torch has been passed on and Jimmy accepts that responsibility but the key words at the end of the book are "But for now Jimmy is staying." Buitrago is allowing you to see this book as whatever you want to see. If you would like to believe that Jimmy will leave one day to seek fame and fortune, you can believe that. If you prefer to think that this is a book about making a difference rather than chasing rainbows then you can see it that way instead. What we can all agree on is that the book is sort of an ode to small communities and the people who do what they can to make their homes special.
If I am to remember 2012 for anything picture book-wise then I think I may remember it as the year when translators went above and beyond the call of duty. This year I've read numerous translated picture books that feel as though they were in English from the get-go. From John Jensen Feels Different to My Dad Is Big And Strong, BUT... translated books for young kids are being given a great deal of care and attention. Jimmy the Greatest! is no exception. Translator Elisa Amado brings Colombian author Jairo Buitrago's words to brilliant life. For example, there's a moment near the beginning of the book when Jimmy is walking back from the gym along the seashore when we read, "In his heart Jimmy was already a boxer, even though there were no boxing gloves at the gym, and someone there, maybe by mistake, had taken his shoes." I love that little "maybe by mistake" in that sentence. Amado is capable of conveying Buitrago's gentle humor and understated wit perfectly.
And part of what makes the writing so interesting is that Buitrago at times mimics and adopts Muhammad Ali's own boastful speaking style. Jimmy starts saying things like "I'm the champ. Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick, wrestled an alligator and got home in time to make lunch for Gramps." This turns around perfectly at the end of the book when Jimmy/Buitrago uses that style to explain why he's still in his small town. "We dance and we box and we don't sit around waiting to go someplace else." Something tells me a line like that could resonate with a lot of people, regardless of where they may live.
Illustrator Rafael Yockteng has collaborated with Buitrago before which probably accounts for how well the images and text mix and merge in this story. Yockteng's art is highly original. It's sort of a mix of The Simpsons and The Far Side, but with a sweet undercurrent. I'm not explaining this very well, but I may as well go for broke and say that it also has elements of Anno too. You see Yockteng does several interesting things all at once with this story. Right at the start when we meet Jimmy we see him in sort of a casual line-up with the other kids in the village. You don't really realize it but this is Yockteng's way of introducing you to everyone. When he pulls back and shows the whole village you get to see these characters in play. At the beginning of the book you see the village when Jimmy is a kid and at the end you see it when he's an adult. For fun I wanted to see if the village changed significantly over time and I was thrilled to see hundreds of tiny details that rewarded my curiosity. Yockteng may well be the master of the hidden joke. At the end of the book you realize that the stingray in the ocean has acquired a baby, Jimmy's grandfather is apparently buried in the yard, the palm trees are blooming, the village is growing, the boat maker is prospering, the preacher is still preaching, Jimmy's friend with the funny shaped head has grown up and has a kid of his own, and so much more! It's only equivalent that I can come up with is Jeannie Baker's Home, a picture book that celebrates the passage of time and the growth of a community. Maybe.
I don't want to fail to mention that Yockteng's art is also gorgeous, though. In one scene Jimmy sits on a beach at night and the sea and moon and stars and sky all radiate this kind of beauty and peacefulness. I know that Yockteng works solely in the digital realm, but you'd never know it to look at this book. Then there are the details about the village life itself that you don't notice until you read it a couple times. Jimmy's grandfather appears to be pretty out of it in general, but in a sweet benign way. I spent a better part of my rereads trying to figure out who took Jimmy's shoes (I'm sure the answer is in there somewhere). And of course I should probably mention that there are parts of the book that make it clear that this book was not originally published in America. Imported works for children sometimes (often) contain elements that throw U.S. audiences for a loop. The bare breasts in a Where's Waldo picture or pretty much anything Babette Cole has ever even looked at. This book doesn't carry that feeling often, but there is one spread where Jimmy presents his grandfather with a crocodile sliced up in its middle as a kind of reptilian sushi. Some parents will probably need their smelling salts, but it's not bloody or gory. Just odd.
We see plenty of picture books for kids that we feel are the literary equivalent of spinach and green beans. We know they're good for kids so we force them to read them, knowing full well in our heart of hearts that the little buggers will never want to pick those books up again. The secret to Jimmy the Greatest! is that after reading it once, you want to read it again. When you do you begin to notice tons of little details. You start to grow attached to the characters. The words of the story take on a new meaning even. This is the mark of a picture book that crosses over from merely good to great. Never mind that I haven't even really covered the fact that it all takes place in a Latin American village (and how often do you see amusing stories set there for the picture book crowd, I ask you?). Librarians talk a lot about giving kids books where they can see themselves, as well as books where they can see new places, people and situations. Jimmy the Greatest! is both a window into a new place and a mirror of where a lot of kids are and may be content to stay. A fantastic title and a book I'd encourage every community to purchase, regardless of where in the world you reside.
For ages 4-8.
October 7, 2014
I kept expecting that I would find a page at the end telling me that this story was based on the life of someone famous. But it isn't. Without it, I'm still thinking about what kind of genre it is and whether I like it a lot or like it some. The reference to Muhammed Ali and his iconic influence with African Americans made me think of all the children's books about the inspiring influence of Joe Louis I have come across lately so that almost became the genre for me. The illustrations were fascinating and very different. I found myself being caught up short by some element in each two page spread like the glasses Jimmy wears, a black eye or the shape of a head. Still thinking about this one.
February 24, 2013
Wow! Unusual for so many reasons. I haven't seen a book like this convention-breaker in a long time, and not surprising that it's not from the US. I was amazed in the early pages when the kids at the boxing ring were pictured actually hitting each other. Jimmy's process of 'becoming' is an interesting one, because most of the pictures are spent on him doing everyday things while he trains. The 'message' of the book gets lost in a kind of Zen nowness, a tone that stays grounded.
There was an underlying tension brewing with the bald kid in the background, but they never made anything of it, which was really cool and restrained.
I thought the illustration style was interesting and didn't look at all like it was computer generated. I have heard computer illustrators say that their work takes just as long as if they were using conventional tools.
There was an underlying tension brewing with the bald kid in the background, but they never made anything of it, which was really cool and restrained.
I thought the illustration style was interesting and didn't look at all like it was computer generated. I have heard computer illustrators say that their work takes just as long as if they were using conventional tools.
September 23, 2012
Making my way through the current PW's Stars So Far list.
As I write this, I'm still debating what to rate this. The ending, well, it's unusual for a children's book. I want to give Jimmy the Greatest! three stars, but should a book be penalized from straying from the tried and true? Normally, you'd think, a book like this, about a young man in a poor town who dreams of being a boxer, it would end with him achieving his dream, reinforcing the idea that you can do anything if you work at it. However, that's not what happens here. It's almost more realistic in its portrayal of how hard work and determination does not necessarily equal dreams come true.
Rather than follow his mentor to the big city so he can pursue his dreams, Jimmy chooses to stay and takes his mentor's place in his hometown. I guess, in a way, one could argue that Jimmy is sacrificing his dream for the sake of his people. He will continue to give the children a place to go where they can become good men, just like Jimmy did.
I think this would be a good opening for a philosophical discussion with slightly older children. Is it better to strive for something more than what you are or should you be grateful for what you already have? Did Jimmy give up on his dream or was he being selfless? I've settled on giving this four stars because it does raise some interesting questions, but the target audience is definitely limited.
As I write this, I'm still debating what to rate this. The ending, well, it's unusual for a children's book. I want to give Jimmy the Greatest! three stars, but should a book be penalized from straying from the tried and true? Normally, you'd think, a book like this, about a young man in a poor town who dreams of being a boxer, it would end with him achieving his dream, reinforcing the idea that you can do anything if you work at it. However, that's not what happens here. It's almost more realistic in its portrayal of how hard work and determination does not necessarily equal dreams come true.
Rather than follow his mentor to the big city so he can pursue his dreams, Jimmy chooses to stay and takes his mentor's place in his hometown. I guess, in a way, one could argue that Jimmy is sacrificing his dream for the sake of his people. He will continue to give the children a place to go where they can become good men, just like Jimmy did.
I think this would be a good opening for a philosophical discussion with slightly older children. Is it better to strive for something more than what you are or should you be grateful for what you already have? Did Jimmy give up on his dream or was he being selfless? I've settled on giving this four stars because it does raise some interesting questions, but the target audience is definitely limited.
January 4, 2013
I loved this book mostly for its ending. The story of Jimmy the Greatest is the story of a little boy growing up in the Carribean in a small, rural town that doesn't have much. It does, however, have a gym (a boxing ring under a tree along with a 2-sided corrugated tin building). Jimmy starts to box when the coach see potential in him and really becomes quite good. He also begins to read all he can about Mohammed Ali (even while training!), admiring the similarities between Ali and himself (both are smart AND good boxers!). He comes to be quite admired in the ring throughout the town.
In the end, his coach leaves the small town for the big city for a "real job." Jimmy stays and maintains the boxing ring and turns the corrugated tin building next to it into a library.
The fact that Jimmy stays in the town and happily lives there is not a theme that appears very often in children's books (or books at all). Happily "blooming where you are planted" is, I believe, a far greater challenge than seeking adventure in bigger or more exotic and exciting areas. And the fact that he is continually contributing to the betterment of the community makes him even more admirable.
Jimmy truly is the greatest.
In the end, his coach leaves the small town for the big city for a "real job." Jimmy stays and maintains the boxing ring and turns the corrugated tin building next to it into a library.
The fact that Jimmy stays in the town and happily lives there is not a theme that appears very often in children's books (or books at all). Happily "blooming where you are planted" is, I believe, a far greater challenge than seeking adventure in bigger or more exotic and exciting areas. And the fact that he is continually contributing to the betterment of the community makes him even more admirable.
Jimmy truly is the greatest.
November 24, 2012
Not everyone needs to leave home in order to follow their dreams, and in the case of Jimmy, who lives in a small village with one church and a makeshift gym, he finds satisfaction in the work he does there. Singled out because of his potential as a boxer, Jimmy becomes enchanted and inspired by a box filled with books and clippings about boxer Muhammad Ali that is given to him by his mentor who runs the gym. Jimmy's use of Ali's ways of expressing himself poetically and arrogantly--some might say, self-confidently--reveals just how influential the boxer was as well as Jimmy's own reflective nature in these lines near the end of the book: "...he realized how much he still had to learn. Like how not to let time pass him by" (unpaged). The text and the digital illustrations remind readers to bloom where they're planted. Who knows if Jimmy will someday decide to leave his village? But for now, he is content that he is making a difference right where he is. I like this one more each time I read it.
June 29, 2012
Jimmy lives in a small village in Latin America where there is nothing but a small church and a little gym. Thanks to that little gym, Jimmy and the other children in town spend their time learning to box. Since Jimmy didn’t have much else to do, he started to train. He wanted to become a famous boxer and get his mother the icebox she needed. It all changed though when his trainer, Don Apolinar, gave Jimmy a box of clippings and books about Mohammad Ali. Jimmy started reading all about Ali, started wearing his glasses, and even shadowboxed while continuing to read. Jimmy learned about respect and dignity from Ali, creating his own sayings from Ali quotes. He grew into a great boxer. When Don Apolinar left the village for a larger city, Jimmy stayed behind and kept up the gym and opened a library.
Read the rest of my review on my blog, Waking Brain Cells.
Read the rest of my review on my blog, Waking Brain Cells.
October 30, 2012
The full-bleed digital illustrations by Rafael Yockteng are gorgeous with richly saturated colors. The details Yockteng includes add depth to the character of the village and make for a fun seek-and-find sort of aspect. There are some visual jokes, too, which fit right in with the quiet humor of Buitrago's text. Buitrago and Yockteng tell us the story of Jimmy who learns to box and love reading in his small Latin American village. As Jimmy grows up and some move away, Jimmy stays and in the process of living his life makes his village a better place. I really feel like I could look at these illustrations for a long time - they're so peaceful - and I keep discovering more things to love each time I look.
December 21, 2012
Well, this was different! I liked it very much. It's the story of Jimmy, a young man living in a small town in Latin America. The town is just big enough to support a church and a gym. One day Jimmy is given a box of materials featuring "the Greatest," Muhammad Ali. Jimmy decides to emulate Ali and become the best boxer he can, with the help of a local trainer. One day, though, his trainer leaves for better opportunities elsewhere. But Jimmy stays behind to be the best he can be in his small village, and he is content. Not what you expect, but strangely satisfying.
The artwork is unusual, but it still helps carry the story. Very nice.
The artwork is unusual, but it still helps carry the story. Very nice.
May 1, 2013
A unique story that shows that you don't have to leave home in order to go far. Children will enjoy the exotic setting of an African village.
Veg*n parents note: There are some images in this book that will likely make veg*n families squirm. In the most graphic, we see that he has caught an alligator and is eating him for dinner. The alligator lays whole on the plate, with his body divided into slices, and a big tear coming out of his eye as Jimmy and another man dine. There are also several images of dead fish and alligators slung over people's backs.
Veg*n parents note: There are some images in this book that will likely make veg*n families squirm. In the most graphic, we see that he has caught an alligator and is eating him for dinner. The alligator lays whole on the plate, with his body divided into slices, and a big tear coming out of his eye as Jimmy and another man dine. There are also several images of dead fish and alligators slung over people's backs.
July 15, 2013
Some people leave their homes to follow their dreams. Jimmy finds his dreams in his community. Set in a Caribbean village, Jimmy finds a trainer at the local gym who introduces him to the heroes of boxing and helps him train to be the best boxer in their area. When the trainer leaves for the "big city", Jimmy decides to stay for now in the town where, "We dance and we box and we don't sit around waiting to go someplace else." The narrative sometimes switches to Jimmy's voice in a way that helps us know his thoughts and feelings.
Read
April 22, 2014In this book Jimmy, the main character realizes that there is not a lot to do in his town. The one thing that he becomes interested in is boxing. His trainer gives him books about Muhammad Ali and Jimmy becomes obsessed with learning all about him. Althought things aren't great in the beginning, Jimmy realizes that even though he doesn't have fancy things or much opportunity, he must create the future and look for possibilities. This book can relate to many students who may not have all that they yearn for.
July 25, 2012
This is kind of a strange book about a boy living in S. America that is inspired to become a boxer by reading clippings about Ali. His trainer eventually has to leave but he stays in his town, continues training and starts to train others and maintain a place for them to go. I wasn't expecting it to be about someone staying, but I found it inspirational, so see how someone can stay and begin to help others in his town on a small scale.
August 18, 2012
An inspiring story about a fictional boy living in a poor Caribbean town. Jimmy, a big fan of Muhammed Ali, is inspired by greatness and perseverance. I immediately loved Jimmy within the first few pages, and wanted to start rooting for him to make the world a better place.
The illustrations are charming, and young readers will love hearing about Jimmy's drive to make his town a better place. An excellent community-building title.
The illustrations are charming, and young readers will love hearing about Jimmy's drive to make his town a better place. An excellent community-building title.
November 24, 2012
Jimmy lives in a small town. Inspired by Muhammed Ali he trains to become the greatest box his small town has ever seen. Digital illustrations show Jimmy's town in detail.
I liked that the hero of this story decides to stay in his small town. It gives it a different feel from books that talk about people rising up from small beginnings and makes me want to start at the beginning again renewed with good feelings for Jimmy's small town.
I liked that the hero of this story decides to stay in his small town. It gives it a different feel from books that talk about people rising up from small beginnings and makes me want to start at the beginning again renewed with good feelings for Jimmy's small town.
December 29, 2012
Author and illustrator are from Colombia.
Translated by Elisa Amado.
Strong sense of place: a small coastal village in Colombia (doesn't say; assuming Colombia.) Humor in illustrations, and many details that carry over from page to page. About self-worth, finding your place, whether staying home or venturing out. Ends up creating library as well as running the gym.
Audience: early elementary age children
SLJ Best Book 2012
Translated by Elisa Amado.
Strong sense of place: a small coastal village in Colombia (doesn't say; assuming Colombia.) Humor in illustrations, and many details that carry over from page to page. About self-worth, finding your place, whether staying home or venturing out. Ends up creating library as well as running the gym.
Audience: early elementary age children
SLJ Best Book 2012
January 31, 2013
After learning about boxer Muhammad Ali through a box of newspaper clippings, young Jimmy trains to follow in his footsteps. Ultimately, Jimmy decides to stay in his small Latin American town where he can use his skills to enrich the lives of others by maintaining the local gym and creating a library.
This is a quietly unique story about one boy's decision to make a difference in his community.
This is a quietly unique story about one boy's decision to make a difference in his community.
February 4, 2013
I really liked this book.
It shows another culture: how they live, how they are different from "the mainland."
It shows a boy who is following his dream and researching about it and working very hard.
And it shows that, sometimes, it's best to cultivate that dream at home.
The illustrations are fun and funky too.
And he loves libraries :)
Haiku Review:
Jimmy The Greatest
boxes and reads and loves his
cozy island home
It shows another culture: how they live, how they are different from "the mainland."
It shows a boy who is following his dream and researching about it and working very hard.
And it shows that, sometimes, it's best to cultivate that dream at home.
The illustrations are fun and funky too.
And he loves libraries :)
Haiku Review:
Jimmy The Greatest
boxes and reads and loves his
cozy island home
May 6, 2013
I've read this book so many times now, and it never fails to move me, inspire me, and warm my heart. It's a true gem and a wonderfully unique picture book. Motivation, inspiration, fitness, reading, finding your place in the world, supporting your community -- there are so many substantive themes woven into this story, but nothing preachy or "messagey" about it. It's a book that just makes you FEEL GOOD. Which is why I will continue re-reading and recommending it.
April 21, 2015
This is a great story of a young boy finding his gift. He is discovers a penchant for boxing and that is what sort of wakes him up. He starts using his glasses to read about Ali and boxing. He runs around town and trains. He doesn't go off into the world to chase his dream, but enjoys his sport, his home, and contributes to his community. The text and the artwork are engaging, fun, and smile inducing.
June 26, 2012
This title is part of the summer reading blitz, but I want to say more about this book with allusions to Muhammad Ali, making this title a super connection piece for Louisville-area teachers and readers. Hold me to a later review of this book, I want to say more, but I am loading up thirty books as I type this. . .
July 26, 2013
Yay! Sometimes you can do great things in your life and stay in your own small town to do them! More people should maybe even do that then. A surprising and welcome lesson on what being the greatest really means. Plus the super cartoony, quirky illustrations basically rule. So that's good. I wish that Yockteng did more illustration in the American market!
January 2, 2013
I really liked the art and the message. And it's nice to give kids an idea of how people live in other parts of the world. Jimmy is filled with hope and spirit and strength, but he's also determined to use those qualities to making life better for his own town and his own people. Definitely the greatest.
July 1, 2012
Digitally created illustrations with good movement and texture. Not as static as some digital illustrations can be.
Text color change when outside and inside character. Blue Roman - story. Red Itallic - thoughts inside.
Translated from Spanish. Prose.
Text color change when outside and inside character. Blue Roman - story. Red Itallic - thoughts inside.
Translated from Spanish. Prose.
December 21, 2012
Perhaps I'll need to read this a few more times as others are raving about it, but it didn't blow me away. But I DID appreciate that while Jimmy didn't become a world-renowned boxer, he was happy with what he was able to do where he lived.
December 22, 2012
I finally got my hands on this book. I knew that Jimmy the Greatest received a number of good reviews, so I felt as though this was a must see for me. I did really enjoy the story and really loved the illustrations.
January 13, 2013
Okay, but not a great story. A boy grows up on an island in poverty but still strives to be a good person. He grows up and remains in the same village where not much changes.
Not a selection I will use again.
Not a selection I will use again.
January 8, 2013
Jimmy, island boy, discovers his talents for boxing and for reading, which allow him to see himself as capable of shaping his own world. He does so by staying to help his village rather than leaving, as so many do, for the USA.
January 29, 2013
Colombian author, Jairo Buitrago,shows you don't have to leave home to be great. I loved the amusing illustrations, the gentle philosophy, and the surprise realistic ending. I can't wait to read it in Spanish. Two thumbs up!
May 27, 2013
I bought this book for my 7 year old nephew and I have a 3 1/2 year old myself. This would bore me, my daughter, and my nephew. I'm not sure who the target audience is. There is no climax. No story. And the characters were undeveloped.
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