Yo, Jo!

by Rachel Isadora

While Jomar and his brother, Franklin, are on their stoop waiting for Grandpa, friends and neighbors come by--whizzing on skates, showing off their new treads, or bouncing a ball. Whether it's W hassup? or Y o!, Jo's got a greeting for everyone--until Grandpa arrives and only classic words will I love you .
With a fresh new style, Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Rachel Isadora fashions an exuberant intergenerational celebration of language, neighborhoods, and family.

Genres: Picture Books, Cultural, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Family

40 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2007

About the author

Rachel Isadora is an award-winning children's author and illustrator. She has written children's books on multiple topics including ballet, life in America and Africa, and has illustrated several Brother Grimm tales in an African setting. She is most well-known for her Caldecott Honor Award book "Ben's Trumpet". She was a ballet dancer before she became an illustrator and children's writer.

Reviews

[Kaitlyn Branch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this book had no plot it expressed different ways someone might say hello and expressed diversity. The pictures were bright and kept the book interesting. There were many ways to read the text.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yo, Jo! is one of two books Harriet checked out at a recent trip to the library. The illustrations are colorful, probably done as collage. They were an immediate attraction for her.

Jo is a young African American boy living on a busy city block with brownstone buildings. He's walking down the block clearly with a goal in mind. But that doesn't stop him from talking to all his neighbors. It's clearly a tightly knit and safe block given Jo's youth. It's refreshing to see a positive portrayal of a childhood in the city, especially for a child of color.

He and his neighbors talk in slang until Jo comes to an old man. It's his grandfather. Then things become more formal. It was nice to see the counterpoint to the slang. It's a more subtle way to convey the same message as Don't Say Ain't, namely that there's a time and a place for different levels of formality.

Best of all though, the Grandfather, after having a completely formal conversation with Jo starts talking to him in slang too. It brought back fond memories of when my own grandmother would let her hair down a little and talk in slang, or admit to liking rock and roll, and so forth. The connection with Jo and his Grandfather feels genuine to me.

[Haley Altizer]

Yo Jo, written by Rachel Isadora is story about a young boy named Jomar. Jomar and his brother Franklin are told by momma that they need to wait on the steps for Grandpa to arrive. While waiting we discover that Jo is a very popular young individual. Everyone says hello while passing by. Either he received a Yo! or a Whassup! When Grandpa arrives Jo greets him with a Yo and Grandpa does not accept and hints to him that he would prefer a more proper greeting.
Rachel Isadora is the author as well as the illustrator. The illustrations in the book are rather abstract. It looks as though the pictures were created with little cut outs of shapes and glued together. The colors used throughout the book are bright and eye catching. The pictures are all full paged leaving little room for illustration.
Seeing as there is little room left for illustration Isadora decided to make the text a part of the illustrations. Each phrase is a different color in order to make it stand out on the page. There is hardly any text. The first and last page of the book contains the most text and it is two sentences. The other pages contain short phrases. I found this to be a fun book to read.

[J-Lynn Van Pelt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A simple book for young readers, the story follows two brothers as they walk through their urban neighborhood, waiting for their gradnpa to get home. The book is full of slang like: wassup, treads, chillin', gotta bounce, jiggy and heazy. Some of the slang is already out to date and in a few more years, this book may turn into a study in turn of the centure urban slang.

The pictures are done in collage and oil on pallete paper. They are bright and full of movement, capturing both the active young boy and the fun of the city. It is the illustrations that make the book.

This might be a fun companion read to Yo! Yes? by Christopher Raschka.

[Liz Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rachel Isadora, award winning author, created this exciting and colorful children’s book based on her influences from her life in Africa. This picture book is filled with an exciting vocabulary as Jomar waits for his grandpa to come home. Throughout the day, he runs into many people and the buzz on the street is exciting. With so many different and new words being said, you are sure to add some new words to your own dictionary.

[Lana Clifton · Rating 4 out of 5]

On an urban neighborhood street, Jo and his bro punctuate colloquials and give voice to the sounds of the city. This is a great book for students to learning punctuation and grammar. This book is also helpful for helping students to read with expression. Content applicable in Pre-K through 2nd grade grade classrooms.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

2007 - Multiculutural
This is the story of young Jo, an African American boy. As Jo goes throughout his day, he calls out to his friends and his friends call out to him using slang that is more associated with African Americans. I personally thought that this book was perpetuated stereotypes, and would not recommend this story.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seems like Isadora is trying to highlight some great city rhythms but the story feels a little forced. For example, lines like "faboo" and "off the heazy" seem a little corney; although on one page the main character says, "Woof, dawg!" to a dog who replies with, "Woof". Quite funny.

[Danielle Miskin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun, bright colors. Good illustrations, authentic. Uses slang that is uses informally in our culture. Shows when it is appropriate and in appropriate to use it. Shows how to show respect for others. Gives an insight into a different culture and their language or slang. Very cute and funny.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

When his older brother is not looking a young boy sneaks off to see what he sees in the neighborhood. He encounters many different people who greet him with the slang of the 'hood.

Not great for storytimes but definitely a great one for one-on-one.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book uses a lot of slang and has "stereotypical" settings in the inner city. I'm not sure if I would want to use this book in my classroom. I want to be sensitive to all my students and not all African American children can relate to this book and it could possibly come off as offensive.

[Eve Lyons · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not in love with this book yet, perhaps because my son hasn't gotten that into it yet. I appreciate the use of black cadence and speech, and the positive depiction of black urban life. Perhaps we will grow into it.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sort of a cross between one of Ezra Jack Keat's books and Chris Raschka's "Yo! Yes?".
Love the cut paper art work. The slang will probably date pretty quickly though...

[Phobean · Rating 1 out of 5]

This picture book seemed a pale attempt at the "magic" of Ezra Jack Keith's beautiful urban paper-collage illustrations.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the fascinating illustrations and the culture behind the book. In addition, the book was quite funny.

[nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

i liked the use of everyday language, but i'd have a hard time doing this during storyhour with a straight face (or even being halfway believable).

[Joann White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to show diversity and a lesson in not using slang.

[Peony · Rating 2 out of 5]

everyday life, multicultural, cartoon

0-4

[Tanika · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy and his brother knew everybody in the neighborhood. Everyone has their own way of saying hello to Jo. This shows students that there are different ways of saying hello to their friends.

[Kristin Sprague · Rating 3 out of 5]

doesn't yo mean hi?

[Whisper Poet · Rating 4 out of 5]

When everything goes wrong on the day of the county fair, the cows save the day! Cute pictures and good repetitive story for young listeners.

[Lesley Looper · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the colorful illustrations, and how the grandfather entered the story at the end.

[Ariel Rudicel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe read this to younger kids who think using "slang" in school all the time is okay.

[Ali Werner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jomar greets his neighbors using slang, but his grandfather wants to hear some more traditional words.

[Kaylie Singleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jomar greets his neighbors using slang. But his grandfather wants to hear some more traditional words.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Diverse and realistic and a fun the generational twist at the end. Love and family done well.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book to use for finding clues in the text about the character!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about two brothers hanging out in their neighborhood. It uses very basic text and and interesting collage style illustrations.

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

Features POC, urban culture and slang, and a vibrant illustration style. The slang shows its age, but slang moves so quickly, that's understandable. Overall, it felt a little stilted to me and the author is indeed white. I would be interested to know if any black people were consulted in the writing and illustrating of this book.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see how this would be a lot of fun to read to a child.