Cool Ali
Nancy Poydar, author and illustrator
Margaret K. McElderry Books, Fiction, 1996
Suitable for: Ages 4-7
Theme: Art, Summer heat, City life, Neighbors
Opening/Synopsis: Ali loved to draw. She drew all the time. One summer day, her mother said, “Ali, Ali, it’s just too hot to be indoors!” That’s when Ali took her box of fat chalk outside. It hadn’t rained in weeks and Ali beat the summer heat by drawing cool scenes on the sidewalk and buildings . She drew grass and flowers, a lake under Mrs. Frye’s chair, a beach umbrella on the wall to shade Ira, the North Wind for Mr. Boyle, a Polar Bear and a snow storm. A crowd gathered and found pleasure in Ali’s drawings and forgot the heat until something happens.
Why I like this book: Nancy Poydar has written a fun book that will ignite a child’s imagination. There is also a sense of neighborhood and everyone (young and old) dealing with the heat wave together. Her illustrations are expressive and colorful. She uses watercolors and oil pastels. This is a cool end-of-the summer read for kids. Check out Nancy Poydar’s website for the many books she’s written and illustrated. Each of her picture books tells of a child who gives gifts of storytelling through art.
This book looks and sounds delightful! What a great idea! I’m guessing it rains, which might do all sorts of lovely things to the chalk and make for some great art in the book! Thanks for sharing 🙂
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Susanna thought it a fun book for the hot days to come at the end of summer. Loved the feel of community. And, of course the art was a lot of fun. The author has written many books, but this one caught my attention. And, someone recommended it.
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I like the sound of this one, Pat! It sounds like a perfect book for my son who has a huge imagination. Thanks for sharing it 🙂
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Heather, I loved the imaginaion of a child and her artwok and how she used it to take their minds off the heat Also like the since of commmunity. Thanks for stopping.
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As a kid who spent his earliest years in the housing projects of New York, the image on the cover of this book reminds me of how much we had to use our imagination to change the environment from hot-Summer scorching of concrete and brick to cool breezes and green grass. Most of our play, back in that day, was about creating worlds of wonder right where we were, rather than escaping through TV (black and white, I might add). Thanks for sharing this sweet-looking book that reminds us how much we can change our current reality into magic if we let our imaginations, and some chalk, go wild.
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Craig, I always enjoy your messages. We must have grown up in the same era. I lived in a neighborhood with fields behind my house and a nearby river and creek. And, we did use our imaginations and played all day — from morning until night. Something kids don’t have the luxury of doing today. And, yes the black and white TVs. Kids weren’t indulged and we only had our imaginations — and it was fun.
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Pat, I know and love this creative story. Like you, I particularly like the sense of community it evokes.
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Joanna, I loved the creativity in this story. If you remember, you recommended it to me. I like the author and browsed through her other books. But, this seemed like a great summer story.
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I love this because it reminds me of my childhood and my vivid imagination. It does evoke sense of community. I learn so much from you and others like you who are on the “Hub”. Thanks.
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Thank you for your kind words Priscilla. This brought back many childhood memories for me. All the parents in the neighborhood were our parents and there was such a sense of community.
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This book sounds cute. I like the idea and Ali’s solution! 🙂
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Erik, I like the use of imagination and neighbors in this book. Great combination. Thanks.
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It looks like a lovely book. Plus, this gives me an idea when I help another mom out tomorrow for a few hours with an older child. Thanks.
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Stacy, I just discovered this author. Like her books. I’m glad it gave you an idea for an activity.
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This is lovely Pat. I, like the child in this story love chalk art and used to do chalk art when a kid on a blackboard in a dolls house outside in my backyard. When traveling later with my husband I often found pavement chalk art through Europe fascinating. Such colour and imagination, I love this.
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Diane, me too. I loved chalk art on the street. Brings back many memories. Now they have such huge sticks of colorful chalk.
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What a delightful book, Pat! Thank you for sharing it with us. I must click that link and discover the author’s other books. There may be some just “perfect” for PPBFridays!
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Brings back memories. Glad you liked the book. There are a number of books that are much newer that would make PPBF books.
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Thanks for sharing, Patricia.
sob, summer’s over. sob.
🙂
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Clar, thank for visiting. Can’t believe that the summer is nearly over. Can’t tell by the heat!
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