Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Me...Jane

Me...Jane
by Patrick McDonnell
5/5 stars
Reviewer: Dawn
(2012 Caldecott Honor)

Summary:
Jane is a curious young girl who loves to be outside with the animals. Often, she climbs to the top of her favorite tree, with her stuffed monkey Jubilee, and dreams of helping all of the amazing creatures in the jungles of Africa. One day Jane awakens to find that her dream has come true. The end of the book has an About Jane Goodall page that delves deeper into her life story and there is also a message from Jane Goodall herself.

Review:
This picture book biography of Jane Goodall is absolutely stunning. Visually, it is a work of art. This book was a 2012 Caldecott Honor Book and it has also won many other awards. There are a number of mediums at work here, including photographs and stamps. Together, they paint a picture of a simpler, earlier time. McDonnell chose to portray Jubilee as alive, which I think works perfectly for a book about following your dreams. In the middle of the book there is a spread of illustrations from Jane’s childhood notebook. It is really amazing to have a peek at games and artwork she created when she was a little girl. The final image of Jane, a photograph of her with a chimp, is the perfect ending to a book about fulfilling your dreams.

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