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There Is a Tribe of Kids
Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal
When a young boy embarks on a journey alone . . .
he trails a colony of penguins,
undulates in a smack of jellyfish,
clasps hands with a constellation of stars,
naps for a night in a bed of clams,
and follows a trail of shells,
home to his tribe of friends.
If Lane Smith's Caldecott Honor Book Grandpa Green was an homage to aging and the end of life, There Is a Tribe of Kids is a meditation on childhood and life's beginning. Smith's vibrant sponge-paint illustrations and use of unusual collective nouns such as smack and unkindness bring the book to life. Whimsical, expressive, and perfectly paced, this story plays with language as much as it embodies imagination, and was awarded the 2017 Kate Greenaway Medal.
This title has Common Core connections.
When a young boy embarks on a journey alone . . .
he trails a colony of penguins,
undulates in a smack of jellyfish,
clasps hands with a constellation of stars,
naps for a night in a bed of clams,
and follows a trail of shells,
home to his tribe of friends.
If Lane Smith's Caldecott Honor Book Grandpa Green was an homage to aging and the end of life, There Is a Tribe of Kids is a meditation on childhood and life's beginning. Smith's vibrant sponge-paint illustrations and use of unusual collective nouns such as smack and unkindness bring the book to life. Whimsical, expressive, and perfectly paced, this story plays with language as much as it embodies imagination, and was awarded the 2017 Kate Greenaway Medal.
This title has Common Core connections.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published May 3, 2016
About the author
Lane Smith
116 books364 followersLane Smith was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but moved to Corona, California at a young age. He spent summers in Tulsa, however, and cites experiences there as inspirations for his work, saying that "[o]nce you've seen a 100-foot cement buffalo on top of a donut-stand (sic) in the middle of nowhere, you're never the same."
He studied art in college at the encouragement of his high school art teacher, helping to pay for it by working as a janitor at Disneyland. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration, and moved to New York City, where he was hired to do illustrations for various publications including Time, Mother Jones, and Ms..
Smith is married to Molly Leach, who is a book designer and designed the Smith/Scieszka collaboration.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/lanesmith
He studied art in college at the encouragement of his high school art teacher, helping to pay for it by working as a janitor at Disneyland. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in illustration, and moved to New York City, where he was hired to do illustrations for various publications including Time, Mother Jones, and Ms..
Smith is married to Molly Leach, who is a book designer and designed the Smith/Scieszka collaboration.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/lanesmith
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 321 reviews
January 27, 2016
What a creative thinker, creator Lane Smith is (no news there) and what fun to discover this book as I wait to be unsnowed at home. From the charming from front cover, child and kid (similarities will abound) face to face, we go full circle from one tribe to another, while in-between we meet a smack of jellyfish, an army of caterpillars and other groups of intriguing animals, all illustrated with vive and vim. Each animal illustration, in warm earth tones gives a sense of personality to the group and of course the most personality is saved to the end when the human "kids" take on the personalities of many of the animals previously visited. There is so much to look at here, so many hints about what will be on the next page and yet a reluctance to leave the delight of the current one..a book to be shared and savored.
February 3, 2016
A boy sets off on a journey alone and encounters all kinds of creatures along the way. There is a tribe of young goats (kids). There is a colony of penguins, a pod of whales, a flight of butterflies, and much more. He also sees different groups of objects like a formation of rocks, a family of stars, and a growth of plants. Finally his journey ends as he meets up with a tribe of children (kids) who wear outfits of leaves just like he does. He is clearly home again.
This book is filled with collective nouns. There is one after another that manage not only to show children the beauty of the language of collective nouns but also move the story ahead. They form into a cohesive journey for our young hero to embark upon. It is a book that only works this well due to the skill of the author.
Smith is of course also a great illustrator and here his illustrations shine. They show a playful magic that is impressive. They are filled with textures that were created by oils being sprayed with acrylic varnish. The result looks like sponge painting and fills the book with space and light.
A masterful look at collective nouns that is also a great read aloud. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
This book is filled with collective nouns. There is one after another that manage not only to show children the beauty of the language of collective nouns but also move the story ahead. They form into a cohesive journey for our young hero to embark upon. It is a book that only works this well due to the skill of the author.
Smith is of course also a great illustrator and here his illustrations shine. They show a playful magic that is impressive. They are filled with textures that were created by oils being sprayed with acrylic varnish. The result looks like sponge painting and fills the book with space and light.
A masterful look at collective nouns that is also a great read aloud. Appropriate for ages 4-6.
March 8, 2020
A young leaf-clad boy cavorts with kids (of the caprine variety) at the opening of this picture-book celebration of a child's journey through the natural world. A colony of penguins, a smack of jellyfish, a pod of whales, an unkindness of ravens, a formation of rocks, a parade of elephants, a troop of monkeys, and many other groupings of creatures follow, as the boy interacts with each. Finally he arrives back at a tribe of kids, this time of the human kind...
Described on the front jacket flap as a book that can be read a variety of ways - as a boy's journey to find his own kind, as a child's voyage of discovery in the natural world - There Is a Tribe of Kids impressed me more with its artwork than with its textual narrative. As expected with a book from Lane Smith, the illustrations were lovely. The two-page spread featuring the elephants, with its rich green background, was a particular favorite. That said, the text felt like nothing so much as a list, and didn't really hold my interest. The three stars are for the artwork.
Described on the front jacket flap as a book that can be read a variety of ways - as a boy's journey to find his own kind, as a child's voyage of discovery in the natural world - There Is a Tribe of Kids impressed me more with its artwork than with its textual narrative. As expected with a book from Lane Smith, the illustrations were lovely. The two-page spread featuring the elephants, with its rich green background, was a particular favorite. That said, the text felt like nothing so much as a list, and didn't really hold my interest. The three stars are for the artwork.
May 7, 2016
Lane Smith provides simple words & stunning illustrations that will capture readers' attention at any age! The book follows a lost kid trying to find his "tribe." Young readers will love the alliteration & whimsical pictures while older readers will be able to discover hidden themes about fitting in & finding your "people." This would be great as beginning of the year read aloud!
Adding this to my "Mock Caldecott" book stack for 2017.
Adding this to my "Mock Caldecott" book stack for 2017.
January 20, 2016
Edited 7/15/2016: I was discussing this book with a colleague and a concern about the use of the word tribe combined with the images on the final spread was brought up. Although in my initial reading, I didn't interpret it that way, I can see the concern that others have expressed. I feel it's important to be aware of concerns in picture books such as this, so I'll direct you to Debbie Reese's post about it (with links to others) so you can be aware of the concerns. http://americanindiansinchildrenslite...
My original response:
This book was a surprise and an absolute delight! A fun way of interweaving the names for groups of animals, and a story about a boy who may be lost or may be on an adventure. Love the illustrations & that kids will be able to determine their own interpretation.
My original response:
This book was a surprise and an absolute delight! A fun way of interweaving the names for groups of animals, and a story about a boy who may be lost or may be on an adventure. Love the illustrations & that kids will be able to determine their own interpretation.
November 24, 2017
Lane Smith's wonderful and clever illustrations help to categorize groups of all kinds.
August 6, 2016
Not quite the magic of Grandpa Green, but a significant picture book in its own right. A boy searches for his people, but takes time along his journey to enjoy the beings and objects that nature offers. In the end, he comes upon his own tribe, imparting the message to never give up finding where you truly fit.
The sparse text consists of an array of collective nouns for animals and other things found in nature. The art carries most of the storytelling weight. The earth-toned palette and the leaf garments/shoes worn by the protagonist reflect the nature-inspired subject matter. The wordless caterpillar dance is especially compelling.
The sparse text consists of an array of collective nouns for animals and other things found in nature. The art carries most of the storytelling weight. The earth-toned palette and the leaf garments/shoes worn by the protagonist reflect the nature-inspired subject matter. The wordless caterpillar dance is especially compelling.
September 25, 2016
Illustrations are clever and whimsical and simply incredible. Just look at those colors and texture!
What is more, the text is very simple yet charmingly creative, and the book's theme of fitting in and finding your crowd resonated with me deeply :)
However, you should be aware that there is an interesting (and occasionally fierce) debate surrounding this book, succinctly summarized by Betsy Bird on A Fuse #8 Production.
What is more, the text is very simple yet charmingly creative, and the book's theme of fitting in and finding your crowd resonated with me deeply :)
However, you should be aware that there is an interesting (and occasionally fierce) debate surrounding this book, succinctly summarized by Betsy Bird on A Fuse #8 Production.
November 29, 2016
So this was at the end of a stack of about 15 Caldecott contenders for the 2017 award. I think I enjoyed it mostly because it was so much better than the rest of the stack--which now a day later seems like a poor reason. I was about to rate it 4, but then it was not that great of a story.
What was engaging was how the pictures told an episodic story about searching for belonging, a story that wasn't there in the very simple syncretic text. The story arc was shallow, more a string of events leading full-circle to a pun. I appreciated that Smith didn't give in, didn't lead the hero to some taming parents. Nice bit of word play from the opening to the ending line.
What was engaging was how the pictures told an episodic story about searching for belonging, a story that wasn't there in the very simple syncretic text. The story arc was shallow, more a string of events leading full-circle to a pun. I appreciated that Smith didn't give in, didn't lead the hero to some taming parents. Nice bit of word play from the opening to the ending line.
December 19, 2016
I have heard talk about this book--and I think some of it was controversial. I can't remember. But I don't see why there would be. I see nothing extra special in this book. Using collective nouns for various things in nature, and showing that in the illustrations. Showing a child go through an adventure. The ending is OK. I preferred other parts. But I finished it feeling none the wiser, happier, or uplifted. It was just OK for me. (One star for imagination shown in illustration, though.) But I don't see what could be controversial.
June 14, 2016
Beautiful sponge-paint illustrations show a young boy adventuring with a colony of penguins, a constellation of stars, and other newly-created groups like “a smack of jellyfish”. The language play is as fun to read as the illustrations are to see. This will make a marvelous read aloud for talking about play, and for writing about it, too.
May 4, 2016
I love this book. This story will be great for my students to read about a child who has traveled with groups of turtles, ravens, fish and so on trying to fit in. This book sends the message of finding your "tribe" or group with similar interests and find a sense of belonging.
June 21, 2016
Beautiful illustrations! Like Grandpa Green, I will be admiring the art in this Lane Smith book over and over again.
October 17, 2023
great for kids trying to find a sense of belonging or having social difficulties
September 24, 2016
by Lane Smith
Roaring Brook Press, 2016
ISBN 978-1-62672-056-5
Picture book, fiction
Interest level: K-3
Reading level: 1.6
2 out of 5 stars
It was difficult for me to figure out how many stars I wanted to give this book. I ultimately decided on two stars, which is meant to reflect that parts of the book are exceptionally well done, but that ultimately I cannot recommend the book because of the insensitive stereotypical depictions of Native Americans.
Within the world of children's literature, there have been many discussions about There is a Tribe of Kids, but that discussion hasn't been publicized in popular media, so most readers don't even notice the racism in the story. Which speaks to the stereotypes that are so deeply entrenched in our society, that most people don't even recognize them.
The story follows a young child who is clothed in a garment made of leaves. The child is first seen sitting among three young goats, also known as kids, while an older goat "speaks" to them from a rock above their heads. You can see some small trees next to the child, with two of them snapped off to form horns that the child wears as he interacts with the goats. The three kids climb up the rocks, and the child is unable to continue fitting in with this group and is left behind. Casting the horn/branches aside, the child walks off and encounters a penguin, where the child tries to act like penguins, only to be left behind as they plunge into the icy waters and so on.
On each of the pages that show the child interacting with a different animal, Smith has included a repeated phrase that speaks to the theme of the story -- There was a GROUP of ANIMALS. The format mentions the specific name for a group of whatever the animal is. So for young goats, the text reads "There was a TRIBE of KIDS." For the penguins, "There was a COLONY of PENGUINS." This playing with words--repetitions of phrase, capitalizing key words, and infusing double meaning--are some of the traits of brilliance that Lane Smith uses in his writing.
What is troublesome is how Smith wraps up the story by having it return full-circle to where it began--"There is a TRIBE of KIDS." The tribe of kids at the end of the story are not young goats, but are children, dressed in clothes made of leaves like our main character. Some of the children are depicted wearing leaves sticking up out of their hair. This depiction, combined with the word "tribe" is what makes readers think of Native Americans wearing feather headdresses, or kids playing Indian. And that is what destroys the credibility of the story.
While you can tell from all the positive reviews on Amazon and GoodReads that most people aren't bothered by the inclusion of the stereotypical and misrepresentative images, that doesn't make them okay. Debbie Reese, on the American Indians in Children's Literature websites, notes that "Dr. Stephanie Fryberg, a research psychologist, has conducted studies of the effects of stereotypical images on the self-esteem and self-efficacy of Native students. She's found that these images have a negative impact on Native students." By continually allowing stereotypes that portray Native Americans as wearing feathers in their hair and running wild, we are demeaning Native people. When we accept the image of a feathered Indian in a children's book, we are not only allowing, but encouraging our children to continue to mock and demean a culture. That is not acceptable.
As I said at the start, Lane Smith is an amazing wordsmith, and his story of a child searching for his natural group to fit in, makes for an engaging story, and it could have been a good book to use to introduce children to the idea that groups of animals have unique names. The racism of the final pages makes this a book that I cannot recommend.
To find out more about American Indians in Children's Literature, and read about the Native perspective on There is a Tribe of Kids: https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/search?q=there+is+a+tribe+of+kids
Elizabeth Bird, School Library Journal, has a thorough summary of the current debate: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2016/07/19/there-is-a-tribe-of-kids-the-current-debate/#_
Roaring Brook Press, 2016
ISBN 978-1-62672-056-5
Picture book, fiction
Interest level: K-3
Reading level: 1.6
2 out of 5 stars
It was difficult for me to figure out how many stars I wanted to give this book. I ultimately decided on two stars, which is meant to reflect that parts of the book are exceptionally well done, but that ultimately I cannot recommend the book because of the insensitive stereotypical depictions of Native Americans.
Within the world of children's literature, there have been many discussions about There is a Tribe of Kids, but that discussion hasn't been publicized in popular media, so most readers don't even notice the racism in the story. Which speaks to the stereotypes that are so deeply entrenched in our society, that most people don't even recognize them.
The story follows a young child who is clothed in a garment made of leaves. The child is first seen sitting among three young goats, also known as kids, while an older goat "speaks" to them from a rock above their heads. You can see some small trees next to the child, with two of them snapped off to form horns that the child wears as he interacts with the goats. The three kids climb up the rocks, and the child is unable to continue fitting in with this group and is left behind. Casting the horn/branches aside, the child walks off and encounters a penguin, where the child tries to act like penguins, only to be left behind as they plunge into the icy waters and so on.
On each of the pages that show the child interacting with a different animal, Smith has included a repeated phrase that speaks to the theme of the story -- There was a GROUP of ANIMALS. The format mentions the specific name for a group of whatever the animal is. So for young goats, the text reads "There was a TRIBE of KIDS." For the penguins, "There was a COLONY of PENGUINS." This playing with words--repetitions of phrase, capitalizing key words, and infusing double meaning--are some of the traits of brilliance that Lane Smith uses in his writing.
What is troublesome is how Smith wraps up the story by having it return full-circle to where it began--"There is a TRIBE of KIDS." The tribe of kids at the end of the story are not young goats, but are children, dressed in clothes made of leaves like our main character. Some of the children are depicted wearing leaves sticking up out of their hair. This depiction, combined with the word "tribe" is what makes readers think of Native Americans wearing feather headdresses, or kids playing Indian. And that is what destroys the credibility of the story.
While you can tell from all the positive reviews on Amazon and GoodReads that most people aren't bothered by the inclusion of the stereotypical and misrepresentative images, that doesn't make them okay. Debbie Reese, on the American Indians in Children's Literature websites, notes that "Dr. Stephanie Fryberg, a research psychologist, has conducted studies of the effects of stereotypical images on the self-esteem and self-efficacy of Native students. She's found that these images have a negative impact on Native students." By continually allowing stereotypes that portray Native Americans as wearing feathers in their hair and running wild, we are demeaning Native people. When we accept the image of a feathered Indian in a children's book, we are not only allowing, but encouraging our children to continue to mock and demean a culture. That is not acceptable.
As I said at the start, Lane Smith is an amazing wordsmith, and his story of a child searching for his natural group to fit in, makes for an engaging story, and it could have been a good book to use to introduce children to the idea that groups of animals have unique names. The racism of the final pages makes this a book that I cannot recommend.
To find out more about American Indians in Children's Literature, and read about the Native perspective on There is a Tribe of Kids: https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/search?q=there+is+a+tribe+of+kids
Elizabeth Bird, School Library Journal, has a thorough summary of the current debate: http://blogs.slj.com/afuse8production/2016/07/19/there-is-a-tribe-of-kids-the-current-debate/#_
May 19, 2017
A picturebook which celebrates collective nouns as one boy journeys through a landscape rich which wildlife until he finds his native family. With a protagonist who is a cross between Max, Peter Pan and Mowgli, we follow him past goats, clams, ravens, oceans and caterpillars. Each double-page spread has one or two lines 'There was a Turn of Turtles' which play around with meaning (so typical of Smith) and interpretation. With each encounter, the young boy tried to fit in and be accepted until he finally ends with finding others like him.
I found the colours, shape and pace of the book really beautiful. Lane Smith's books all feel different and this one celebrates the child's imagination and sense of open inquisitiveness with the natural world. Interestingly, the book has been touted by specialists in damaging the representation of Native Americans but I had not made that link at all. This may have more to do with the leaves in hair and the term 'tribe' but I took its meaning to literally mean, as it has with all the animals 'a collective'.
I found the colours, shape and pace of the book really beautiful. Lane Smith's books all feel different and this one celebrates the child's imagination and sense of open inquisitiveness with the natural world. Interestingly, the book has been touted by specialists in damaging the representation of Native Americans but I had not made that link at all. This may have more to do with the leaves in hair and the term 'tribe' but I took its meaning to literally mean, as it has with all the animals 'a collective'.
August 2, 2016
Absolutely stunning illustrations. Not very many words, but the text adds up to a narrative with a distinct theme of 'belonging'. This is the type of book where you want to discuss what's in the pictures with the child that you're reading to, so the lack of a traditional story is really quite perfect.
August 12, 2016
Beautiful illustrations & simple, yet captivating text. I am aware of the controversy around the word tribe & the images at the end. However, I believe if we share with our students the many ways the word tribe can be used (i.e. A group of like-minded individuals with whom you feel comfortable), this is not a problem.
December 13, 2016
Pretty. Easily admired. Some extra cute bits, like swimming with the jellyfish or waiting for the turtles. But I don't believe it's substantial enough for children to make their own, nor do I think it has staying power.
May 3, 2016
Ugh those textures.
March 7, 2017
I received a copy of this title from PanMacmillan Australia for review.
A Top Book of 2017 pick
Ten Second Synopsis:
A small boy takes an exciting journey through the collective nouns of all sorts of creatures and natural phenomenon, arriving at a delightful play on words.
It was the stark white-blue tones of the cover that caught my eye with this book, quickly followed by the absolutely adorable hairy goats and finally, the cheeky little protagonist hiding amongst the huddle. I couldn't begin to guess what the story might be about from the cover and the title, so it was with a little spark of delight that I opened the book to find out that not only was it about a tour through the little (and large) parts of the natural world, but also an homage to creative collective nouns.
The book begins with a small boy and the titular tribe of young goats and quickly moves on as the boy finds himself dropped, flopped and generally jostled from one group of animals to another. He goes floating with a smack of jellyfish, crosses swords with a crash of rhinos and even follows a trail of shells to a surprise ending that will have fans of wordplay and synonym grinning from ear to ear. My favourite page involved the boy mucking in with a turn of turtles, before getting bored with waiting for them to catch up and then falling asleep.
In each scene, the boy takes on some of the characteristics of the animal or environment. He uses twigs as horns while with the kids, practices inching along with no hands among the caterpillars and snuggles in for the night on a bed of clams. The illustrative style reminded me strongly of Chris Judge's Lonely Beast series of picture books, with double page spreads cordoned off into smaller panels to illustrate multiple scenes on a single page. The textured images perfectly suit the natural terrains that the boy encounters and the greens and browns alternating with whites and blues throughout give a thoroughly outdoorsy feel to the goings-on.
The illustrations here definitely bring the minimalist, repetitively formed text to life and elevate this book to one that deserves to be pored over again and again. I can certainly see some mini-fleshlings being inspired to crawl like a caterpillar, climb like a kid or balance like a rock tower after flicking through this one a couple of times.
Recommended.
A Top Book of 2017 pick
Ten Second Synopsis:
A small boy takes an exciting journey through the collective nouns of all sorts of creatures and natural phenomenon, arriving at a delightful play on words.
It was the stark white-blue tones of the cover that caught my eye with this book, quickly followed by the absolutely adorable hairy goats and finally, the cheeky little protagonist hiding amongst the huddle. I couldn't begin to guess what the story might be about from the cover and the title, so it was with a little spark of delight that I opened the book to find out that not only was it about a tour through the little (and large) parts of the natural world, but also an homage to creative collective nouns.
The book begins with a small boy and the titular tribe of young goats and quickly moves on as the boy finds himself dropped, flopped and generally jostled from one group of animals to another. He goes floating with a smack of jellyfish, crosses swords with a crash of rhinos and even follows a trail of shells to a surprise ending that will have fans of wordplay and synonym grinning from ear to ear. My favourite page involved the boy mucking in with a turn of turtles, before getting bored with waiting for them to catch up and then falling asleep.
In each scene, the boy takes on some of the characteristics of the animal or environment. He uses twigs as horns while with the kids, practices inching along with no hands among the caterpillars and snuggles in for the night on a bed of clams. The illustrative style reminded me strongly of Chris Judge's Lonely Beast series of picture books, with double page spreads cordoned off into smaller panels to illustrate multiple scenes on a single page. The textured images perfectly suit the natural terrains that the boy encounters and the greens and browns alternating with whites and blues throughout give a thoroughly outdoorsy feel to the goings-on.
The illustrations here definitely bring the minimalist, repetitively formed text to life and elevate this book to one that deserves to be pored over again and again. I can certainly see some mini-fleshlings being inspired to crawl like a caterpillar, climb like a kid or balance like a rock tower after flicking through this one a couple of times.
Recommended.
July 3, 2017
Simply gorgeous, a feast for the eyes and a really lovely, simple story. What a book! 2+
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
November 8, 2017
The illustrations in this book are beautiful. The colours and textures are very visually appealing. The book features the names of different groups of animals and objects such as a a parade of elephants. This is good for children to know these collective names.
December 12, 2025
Eigenlijk een supermooie, zowel qua idee als qua vertelstijl. Dromerig.
Maar waarom zo vale, grijzige kleuren? Met levendigere kleuren was dit veel wonderlijker geweest, een pareltje geweest. Zonde van die gemiste kans!
Maar waarom zo vale, grijzige kleuren? Met levendigere kleuren was dit veel wonderlijker geweest, een pareltje geweest. Zonde van die gemiste kans!
March 27, 2018
Great book to learn collective nouns!
September 8, 2020
I like how this is about all kinds of groups, even inanimate ones.
July 23, 2016
This is a strange, but beautifully illustrated book that is not so much of a story as a listing of groupings of different things. The journey of the young girl boy through the pages as she he interacts with the various creatures and settings is humorous and the ending is nice, if a bit anticlimatic.
As I read the description of the book (as well as the jacket flap), I see that the child is referred to as a boy. We interpreted him as a girl and he is drawn in a sufficiently neutral manner as to allow the reader to use either gender.
I can appreciate that the child is depicted on a kind of journey, discovering the nature of what it means to be a human child and the imagination, the creativity, and the almost unfathomable energy to explore and discover the world. It's not all that earth shattering of a tale, but the illustrations are marvelous.
The highlight of this book truly is the artwork. "The illustrations in this book were painted in oils and sprayed with an acrylic varnish to create various mottled textures. Also used were colored pencils, graphite, traditional cut and paste, and digital cut and paste." Whew. You can tell that this book was a labor of love for the author and the images alone are worth the read.
We have really enjoyed Lane Smith's many picture books as well as his work with Jon Scieszka on the Time Warp Trio series and I selected this book from our local library shelves simply because he wrote it. Overall, it's a fun, fast read and we enjoyed reading it together.
Reading through the various reviews here on Goodreads, I noticed the controversy surrounding the portrayal of the children and the unstated reference to Native American people.
I never read this book in that light, seeing the listing of collective nouns as more of a tribute to language and the imagination of this author/illustrator. If anything, I interpreted the group of children to be prehistoric. Still, I read the critique and respect the perspective, even if I don't necessarily agree with it.
As I read the description of the book (as well as the jacket flap), I see that the child is referred to as a boy. We interpreted him as a girl and he is drawn in a sufficiently neutral manner as to allow the reader to use either gender.
I can appreciate that the child is depicted on a kind of journey, discovering the nature of what it means to be a human child and the imagination, the creativity, and the almost unfathomable energy to explore and discover the world. It's not all that earth shattering of a tale, but the illustrations are marvelous.
The highlight of this book truly is the artwork. "The illustrations in this book were painted in oils and sprayed with an acrylic varnish to create various mottled textures. Also used were colored pencils, graphite, traditional cut and paste, and digital cut and paste." Whew. You can tell that this book was a labor of love for the author and the images alone are worth the read.
We have really enjoyed Lane Smith's many picture books as well as his work with Jon Scieszka on the Time Warp Trio series and I selected this book from our local library shelves simply because he wrote it. Overall, it's a fun, fast read and we enjoyed reading it together.
Reading through the various reviews here on Goodreads, I noticed the controversy surrounding the portrayal of the children and the unstated reference to Native American people.
I never read this book in that light, seeing the listing of collective nouns as more of a tribute to language and the imagination of this author/illustrator. If anything, I interpreted the group of children to be prehistoric. Still, I read the critique and respect the perspective, even if I don't necessarily agree with it.
September 13, 2016
A youngster searches high and low to find the tribe of kids to which he belongs. Along the way, he encounters various animals and sees lovely scenery. Fans of unusual words or collective nouns will find this picture book quite intriguing since he chances upon "an unkindness of ravens" (unpaged). "a turn of turtles" (unpaged), and "a sprinkle of lightning bugs" (unpaged), among others, before following a shell trail that leads him right to where he belongs. The illustrations rely on oils and acrylic spray varnish as well as colored pencils, graphite, traditional cut and paste and digital cut and paste techniques to create their unique texture-filled appearance. As the book jacket notes, this one might be best read alongside the author/illustrator's earlier Grandpa Green, which celebrates all the important events in one man's life. This one, on the other hand, celebrates the innocence and delight of youth as a youngster embarks, at first slowly and hesitantly but then with increasing confidence, upon his life's journey. I like it more each time I read it since he is single-minded at points and then distracted by the natural wonders surrounding him at others.
August 31, 2016
While this does not totally redeem my view of Lane Smith after the waste of paper that is It's a Book, it goes a long way. Hipster free, "jackass" free, this is the total antithesis of that book, showing how wondrous picture books can be.
Lots things going on here. A child on a journey, exploring the world, word concepts for groups of animals, the animals themselves. And the child, trying to find his own place and finally finding his own "tribe."
Smith's artwork here is truly Caldecott worthy, with a delicacy and grace that is moving. The butterfly and star picture spreads are especially lovely. Moving too in the sense that the physical action of the child and the animals is captured--I like the turtles and the jungle animal parade especially.
Not a toddler book, though thoughtful 2 year olds might like it, and I think grownups will enjoy sharing this with a 3 and up child in their lap, or curled up beside them. Lovely book.
Lots things going on here. A child on a journey, exploring the world, word concepts for groups of animals, the animals themselves. And the child, trying to find his own place and finally finding his own "tribe."
Smith's artwork here is truly Caldecott worthy, with a delicacy and grace that is moving. The butterfly and star picture spreads are especially lovely. Moving too in the sense that the physical action of the child and the animals is captured--I like the turtles and the jungle animal parade especially.
Not a toddler book, though thoughtful 2 year olds might like it, and I think grownups will enjoy sharing this with a 3 and up child in their lap, or curled up beside them. Lovely book.
June 21, 2016
Lovely illustrations depict a boy exploring his world - filled with groups of animals. The text is simple yet rich with new vocabulary describing what that group is called. The boy discovers a colony of penguins, a crash of rhinos and an unkindness of ravens (I had to look that last one up) It would have been nice to have an author's note or glossary at the end giving more information about the group names (I also discovered that a group of ravens can also be called a conspiracy of ravens). This is a fun book with lots of ways to engage a story time audience...we counted penguins, pretended to be a parade of elephants and talked about how a tribe of kids applies to mountain goats and human children.
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