Sunday Shopping($17.95Value)

Description

Every Sunday night a young girl and her grandmother go on an imaginary shopping trip in this delightful picture book. Sunday nights are special for Evie and Grandma. That's when they go on their weekly shopping spree. Grandma flips open the newspaper to see what's advertised, and the imaginary tour of neighborhood stores begins. Toting a wallet filled with colorful pretend bills, Evie and Grandma take turns "buying" whatever catches their fancy. A big chunk of ham, a "sofa with a secret," and a dress with spangles are just a few of the treasures they "purchase." Most special of all is the jewelry box Evie chooses for the gold heart necklace Mama gave her before leaving to serve in the army--and the bouquet of flowers Evie leaves as a surprise for Grandma. Overflowing with whimsy and a sweet grandmother-granddaughter relationship, Sunday Shopping is a joyous celebration of imagination and family love. Next Sunday, readers of all ages are sure to grab the newspaper and some play money and embark on their own shopping adventures. K-Gr 2—Filled with heartfelt homespun sentiment, Derby's latest picture book is an homage to imagination and familial love. It is Sunday night, and young Evie and her grandmother don their pajamas, crawl into bed, and grab a pair of scissors and a newspaper for their weekly shopping adventure. Grandma wears her feathered blue hat, and Evie carries her big black purse. As they turn the newspaper pages, they make believe. First, they purchase a ham from Hook's Grocery—it's on sale today! And Hills's Furniture is closing. They could use a new rug. At Pace's Jewels and Treasures, Evie finds a beautiful box, perfect for the necklace Mama gave her before she left for the army. And the shopping continues, all purchases paid for with brightly colored "bills" that Grandma allocates for each shopping trip. Children and adults alike will find a little bit of their own upbringing in the shared adventures with Grandma and Evie. Grandma's wise advice and nurturing manner are comforting and familiar without being overly sentimental. Strickland's illustrations are a vibrant mix of watercolor, acrylic, and wax pencil, digitally interspersed with fanciful, oversize images of whimsy and delight. VERDICT A splendid choice for collections in need of picture books that feature African American characters, but, more significantly, a lovely title that celebrates imagination and the importance of family.—Carol Connor, Cincinnati Public Schools, OH "Both old-fashioned and fresh-feeling, this book is thoroughly worthy of a shopping trip." -- Kirkus Reviews "Notable for its honoring of tradition and aspiration; matter-of-fact, loving treatment of a custodial grandparent; and energetic illustrations that will inspire creative imitators." -- The Horn Book "VERDICT A splendid choice for collections in need of picture books that feature African American characters, but, more significantly, a lovely title that celebrates imagination and the importance of family." -- School Library Journal Sally Derby is the author of numerous books for children, including the popular No Mush Today and My Steps , published by Lee & Low. Her books are notable for their heartfelt family stories told from a spot-on childlike point of view. The mother of six grown children, she lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband. Shadra Strickland is the illustrator of several children's books including Lee & Low's Bird , winner of the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Award and the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent in Illustration. Along with illustrating and writing stories, Strickland loves to make drawings during her travels around the country and the world. She lives in Baltimore, where she also teaches illustration at Maryland Institute College of Art. Her website is jumpin.shadrastrickland.com.