Available:*
Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33607003440719 | Picture Books | MYERS | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
Bound With These Titles
On Order
Summary
Summary
All Jamie wants is to spend some time alone at the beach and finish her art project in the sand. But everyone around keeps asking her pesky questions she doesn't know how to answer- what are you making? Aren't you clever? Jamie does her best to tune it all out and focus on her creation . . . until she finds a like-minded friend. Widely respected artist Matt Myers makes his debut as an author in this story that celebrates creativity, introversion, and the beauty of a little peace and quiet.
Author Notes
Matt Myers has illustrated over a dozen books for children, including Erin Cabatingan's Musk Ox books, Jon Scieszka and Mac Barnett's Battle Bunny, and many more. Hum and Swish is the first book he's both authored and illustrated. He lives with his wife Maya Myers in North Carolina.
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--Sporting a blue-and-white bathing suit and wind-tossed hair, a young girl hovers near the ocean's edge. She collects interesting objects in her pail, constructs with rocks and sand, and fashions fanciful figures out of shells and seaweed. "Jamie hums. The waves swish," and time seems to stop, as the child immerses herself in her activities and imagination. When passersby repeatedly ask her what she is making, she responds, "I don't know," seeming to prefer the company of the sea, which "tells stories" but "doesn't ask questions." Finally, a woman arrives, carrying an easel and art supplies. When Jamie asks her what she is making, the newcomer answers, "I don't know yet." They work side by side in silent camaraderie until both finish their projects, and the two works of art, each unique and amazing, are finally revealed. Created with acrylic and oil paint, the full- and double-page illustrations depict a rock-strewn beach embraced by stacked cliffs in muted pastel hues and topped with lush evergreens. The sea shimmers with layer upon layer of deep blues, olive greens, and wave-crashing whites. Jamie's facial expressions convey her total absorption in her activities, and it's fun to watch the way she inventively incorporates different objects, both natural and found, into her endeavor. VERDICT This day-at-the-seashore tale also serves as a celebration of creative play and artistic exploration, and a reminder to stop and smell the roses.--Joy Fleishhacker, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs
Publisher's Weekly Review
Jamie is engrossed in creating something at the beach: an elaborate assemblage of rocks, sticks, shells, claws, sand, and debris. "What are you making there?" a couple asks. "I don't know," Jamie says, not looking up. More passersby stop and query ("How cute is that?" say two teenagers) as Jamie works away, divulging nothing-although it's clear she's increasingly annoyed. Then a woman with an easel and paints sits down next to Jamie. "What are you making?" Jamie asks. "I don't know yet," says the woman, and they begin to work side-by-side. Where each ends up artistically is ultimately beside the point: what matters is the airy depiction of two artists creating intently and alone in tandem, each communing with the world around them on a special wavelength: "Jamie hums. The woman swishes her paintbrush in a jar." Readers will connect with the heady, evocative acrylic and oil portrayal of the seashore by Myers (Battle Bunny) in his solo debut-its sharp, bright light; creamy waves; and golden sands. The rush of water, and the smell of sea salt mingled with sunscreen, seems to emanate from every page. Ages 4-8. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.