Hot Day on Abbott Avenue
CCBC Review:
Hot days sure can make tempers short,” says Miss Johnson when Kishi and Renee refuse to talk to one another. Instead the two girls glare at each other from their respective porches. It’s a hot day on Abbott Avenue, and no matter what kind of distraction the adults concoct to make the girls forgive one another, it’s a “best-friend-breakup day” and a “never-speak-to-her-again-even-if-she-was-the last-person-on-earth day.” Extraordinarily intricate collages of paper cuts depict the people in motion in the neighborhood and create an urban rhythm through the movement of bodies. Finally it’s the sound of other girls jumping rope that lures Kishi and Renee back to their friendship, and when the ice cream man comes selling blue popsicles (the initial source of disagreement) Kishi shares hers with Renee. The last page shows the girls with blue lipped smiles, “feeling-good-about-being-best-friends day.” Highly Commended, 2005 Charlotte Zolotow Award ©2005 Cooperative Children's Book CenterIllustrated by Javaka Steptoe
CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 5-9
Age Range:
PreK-Early Elementary (Ages 4-7)
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Format:
Picture book
Subjects:
African Americans
Arguments/Conflict
City Life
Community
Friendship
Seasons
Diversity subject:
Black/African
Publisher:
Clarion
Publish Year: 2004
Pages: 32
ISBN: 0395985277
CCBC Location: Picture Book, English