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PICTURE BOOKS
Grimes, Nikki

Southwest Sunrise

40 pp. | Bloomsbury | May, 2020 | Trade ISBN 978-1-5476-0082-3 $18.99 | Ebook ISBN 978-1-5476-0083-0
(2) K-3 Illustrated by Wendell Minor. Protagonist Jayden is unhappy about his family's move from New York City, with its skyscrapers and "feeling of wow," to the New Mexico desert, land of shadows, lizards, and endless sky. During the flight west, Jayden pouts and tries not to cry. But despite his attitude, he can't suppress his wonder upon arrival. Near his family's new home, he notices an array of colorful flowers, a chatty magpie, rock formations with rainbow colors, and tall "red rock pillars / holding up the sky" that remind him of the New York skyline. Minor's gouache watercolor illustrations, featuring an African American family, capture the expansive topography, the surprising desert palette, and Jayden's growing appreciation for his surroundings. His gruff expression becomes inquisitive, respectful, and finally joyous as he discovers flowers, butterflies, bleached animal bones, and more. The lyrical quality of Grimes's poetry gets richer as Jayden begins to embrace his new home. He even finds a small gift to bring to his mother, while he also presents her with his first smile since leaving the city. Moving is never easy, but Jayden's experience of focusing on the beauty before him rather than on what he has left behind is an endearing example of making the best of a new situation.
Reviewer: Michelle H. Martin | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2020

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