A story about a little farm boy who takes great notice of all the wonderful beautiful things around him, including a cricket. He then gets a chance to share these things with the students at his new school. A quiet, contemplative book about taking joy in the simple things. ( )

I found the title and cover?áappealing even before I opened it. And it is absolutely lovely. ?áThe pictures are by the illustrator of Sam, Bangs, and Moonshine, another wonderful book for the right reader. ?áPoetic text that evokes the simple joys of living in the country, with a very understanding mother and schoolteacher. The only thing I didn't like was that the cricket is held captive - but it is, after all, just an insect. A little on the long side, but worth it for the quiet, sensitive child. I am not surprised that there is an award in the author's name....?á ( )

I looked for this book after it was suggested as a mentor text for descriptive writing. It has a few pages that can be used as mentor text for students - when Jay is walking along the hillside observing the natural world. The story is very simplistic but shows how a student's passion can be shared with his classmates. I was happy to have stumbled on the illustrator because it caused me to remember one of my favorite childhood books I had forgotten about that she also illustrated: Sam, Bangs, and Moonshine. ( )

When I picked this up I was excited to see some of Evaline Ness' earlier illustrations - before her Caldecott winning "Sam, Bangs and Moonshine" (this one got a Caldecott honor). The illustrations are printed with a similar method of overlapping and semi transparent layers, but they don't have the depth and subtlety of "Sam Bangs." They are made with less texture and more hard edged lines. The beautifully loose, blotchy and bold pen lines and washes are not there - just a few subtle hard pen lines. That said, they are great little designs, placed in interesting ways within the pages and many of them floating on a text heavy page. And this book is text heavy (it was written in 1964) but it is really wonderful text. It is a first day of school story, but you wouldn't know it for the first third of the book. We have plenty of time to get to know the main character, Jay, and the details of his slow paced life on the farm. In the waning days of August he takes in and befriends a cricket, who he just can't leave behind when he gets on the bus for his first day of school. The cricket sets him apart from the other children and causes him problems in class.
Despite the lengthy text my three year old son wanted it read to him three times in a row. This is because the reader gets a real intimate look into Jay's world and his emotions. His joy and his sadness are really tangible in both the text and the illustrations.
It is a good story of feeling different, but finding a way to fit in while celebrating what makes you unique. It also is wonderful in its depiction of the teacher - who comes across first as a strict and mean, but listens to and understands Jay, shaping the learning around the students as well as the students around the learning. ( )

When I first saw this book, I was less than interested. But since the price was right (less than a quarter) and it was a Caldecott honor, I went ahead and purchased it, waiting until my children's interests matched the protagonist. I knew it was only a matter of time. Sure enough, when I finally read the story, their interest was piqued with the boy who collects objects to put in his pockets, walks barefoot in the sand and water, catches a cricket and makes a home for him. We'll see if they ask for it again.