Carrimebac : the town that walked

Title:

Author:

Summary:

In a boldly transportive original tale, David Barclay Moore infuses history with wry folk wisdom, metaphorical power, and a splash of magic. The Civil War may be over, but times are not substantially improved for the freed Black citizens of Walkerton, Georgia, who are shunned by the white folks of the surrounding towns. One day, though, ol' Rootilla Redgums and her grandson, Julius Jefferson, arrive. Rootilla teaches the citizens of Walkerton how to make all sorts of beautiful things, and the white people can't get enough. But some aren't so happy. When a hooded mob threatens to burn down the town, Julius and Rootilla must work wonders to protect Walkerton and its people—even if it means moving heaven and earth itself. With exquisite cinematic illustrations by John Holyfield and a generous trim size, this portrait of Black endurance draws on the rhythms and traditions of African American storytelling to open a powerful window into the past. -- Amazon.

Audience:

Ages 6-9. Candlewick Press.

Grades 1-4. Candlewick Press.

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 30 cm.

Genre:

Tall tales.

Picture books.

Subject Term:

African Americans -- Juvenile fiction.

Grandmothers -- Juvenile fiction.

Grandsons -- Juvenile fiction.

Ducks -- Juvenile fiction.

Magic -- Juvenile fiction.

Geographic Term:

Georgia -- History -- 19th century -- Juvenile fiction.

Author(s):

Holyfield, John,

Publisher:

Candlewick Press,

Publication Date:

2022

ISBN:

9781536213690

Publication Information:

Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2022.

Call Number:

P MOORE

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003653220	New Picture Books	MOORE	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

A stunning feat of original storytelling from the recipient of the 2018 John Steptoe New Talent Author Award

In a boldly transportive original tale, David Barclay Moore infuses history with wry folk wisdom, metaphorical power, and a splash of magic. The Civil War may be over, but times are not substantially improved for the freed Black citizens of Walkerton, Georgia, who are shunned by the white folks of the surrounding towns. One day, though, ol' Rootilla Redgums and her grandson, Julius Jefferson, arrive. Rootilla teaches the citizens of Walkerton how to make all sorts of beautiful things, and the white people can't get enough. But some aren't so happy. When a hooded mob threatens to burn down the town, Julius and Rootilla must work wonders to protect Walkerton and its people--even if it means moving heaven and earth itself. With exquisite cinematic illustrations by John Holyfield and a generous trim size, this portrait of Black endurance draws on the rhythms and traditions of African American storytelling to open a powerful window into the past.

Author Notes

David Barclay Moore , an author and filmmaker, won a John Steptoe New Talent Author Award for his debut novel, The Stars Beneath Our Feet, which was optioned as a film by Michael B. Jordan. Born and raised in Missouri, he has done work with Sony, Harlem Children's Zone, and Quality Services for the Autism Community. David Barclay Moore is based in Brooklyn.

John Holyfield is a renowned fine artist and illustrator of numerous books for young readers, including Belle, the Last Mule at Gee's Bend by Calvin Alexander Ramsey and Bettye Stroud, Meet Miss Fancy by Irene Latham, Mahalia Jackson: Walking with Kings and Queens by Nina Noland, and The Hallelujah Flight by Phil Bildner. John Holyfield lives in Virginia.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 2--5--Merging history and magic, this is a tale like no other. When Rootilla Redgums and her grandson, Julius Jefferson, arrive in Walkerton, GA, in 1875, the Black townsfolk have no idea what's to come. Using Rootilla's magic, the town flourishes. This upset and angers their neighbors, who are white. Dressed in white sheets, the neighbors attempt to scare off the good people of Walkerton. Rootilla sends them off, but passes away that same night, after asking Julius to carry her back to where she was born. Making good on his promise to her, and with the threat of the fearful white folks on their heels, Julius carves a sign engraved with "Carrimebac." With a rope tied around his magical pet duck, they pull the entire town across the ground, into the water, never to be seen again, leaving a lake where Walkerton once was. Although the ending leaves room for more of the story, it still closes in a satisfying way. Despite some strong and frightening scenes (yes, that is the KKK), this tale is full of whimsy and wordplay, and is an excellent read-aloud. The illustrations, done with paint on canvas, beautifully complement the storytelling voice. Using the angle of the light, magic becomes visible to the reader. VERDICT These heroics read like a classic folktale. With delightful text, and beautiful artwork, it is one not be skipped.--Sarah West

Publisher's Weekly Review

A century after 1776, Rootilla Redgums ("older than... Georgia's bright-red dirt") and her "peculiar" nine-year-old grandson, Julius, turn racially segregated Georgia upside down. While Julius befriends a magical local duck called Woody, Rootilla teaches Walkerton's Black residents to "weave rugs that never wore down" and "bake ceramic jugs that never emptied," drawing interest from people in nearby white towns who previously refused to do business in Walkerton. But when some of those "Fearful" white residents react violently, "wearing white sheets and bearing blazing torches," and Rootilla dies on her 100th birthday after facing them, young Julius takes action to carry her "back to where I was born." He carves a post, soon etched with the word "Carrimebac" and the names of Walkerton's people, and connects it to Woody, who carries Walkerton to "where from all of us come. Back home," leaving a lake in its place. Holyfield's (Hammering for Freedom) bold, painterly illustrations use skewed scale and perspective to add drama and motion to each spread, while Barclay Moore's (The Stars Beneath Our Feet) realistic account of anti-Black racism is imbued reassuringly with the supernatural as a means of a Black community's enduring and escaping oppression. Ages 6--9. (Mar.)