Hey, Wall” A Story of Art and Community
Susan Verde, Author
John Parra, Illustrator
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, Fiction, Sep. 4, 2018
Suitable for Ages: 4-8
Themes: Walls, Kids making a difference, Street art, Neighborhoods, Community Life
Opening: Hey Wall! You are BIG! A city block BIG. My city block.
Synopsis:
A boy strolls past an abandoned city wall on his way to school. It is blue, full of cracks and ugly. He calls out “Hey, Wall!” Near the wall is a lively neighborhood busy with life, music, chatter, and laughter. He stares at the empty wall until one day he decides to take action. He gathers his pencils, paint and decides to make the wall special. The boy enlists the support of his friends, family and neighbors. Young and old work together to breathe life back into the wall. They bring their sketches, memories and imaginations to create something new on this big blank canvas. How will they transform their wall?
Why I like this book:
Susan Verde has written an inspiring story that empowers kids to use their voices when they see how they can make a difference in their community. The story also celebrates the life of this busy town and how coming together to support each other, boosts community pride and relationships. It also shows that walls aren’t dividers, but can bring people together to serve a greater cause.
I especially like Verde’s use of free verse in this urban setting. It works well with the folksy artwork of John Parra. His colorful acrylic illustrations really make this story shine. The final page reveals the wall’s transformation and how it represents everything special to the community. This is an excellent classroom read-aloud and discussion book. It will easily support art school curriculums and encourage creativity.
Make sure you check out the author and illustrator endpapers, because they give insight into the inspiration behind this story and information about the history street art. Visit Susan Verde and John Parra at their websites.
Resources: Use this book to encourage kids to think about ways they can help their community. There may not be an empty wall, but teachers can encourage students to work together to make a paper mural that represents the personality of their classroom.
Susan Verde’s first picture book, The Museum, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, was a Bank Street Best Book of the Year. Her other books include You and Me, I Am Yoga, The Water Princess, I Am Peace, and Rock and Roll Soul all illustrated by Peter H Reynolds; as well as My Kicks illustrated by Katie Kath; and Hey, Wall illustrated by John Parra. Susan is a former elementary school teacher with a Master’s degree in reading remediation. In addition to writing books Susan teaches yoga and mindfulness to kids (and adults) of all ages. She lives in East Hampton, New York, with her three children.
Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.
*Reviewed from Library copy.
Lovely idea for a book
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Beautiful story about teamwork and community pride.
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Love the idea of using a wall to build community rather than divide it.
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Agreed!
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We all agree. Such a beautiful story about how children can make a difference in their communities.
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Thank you for your comment. My thoughts too! Community pride.
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I love all of Susan Verde’s books and this one looks wonderful as well.
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Yes, it’s been fun to watch her mature as an author! This is an excellent book for classrooms to encourage imagination, creativity and connection!
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Perfect choice for PPBF! I LOVE Susan Verde’s picture books & haven’t read this one…yet! Just added it to my request list @ the library. Thanks for a great review.
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Thank you, Patricia! I will look forward to your thoughts!
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I really look forward to finding this one.
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It’s a great story. Kind of reminds me of Thomas Kinkade’s Christmas Cottage holiday Hallmark movie.
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great idea to let kids know how walls can bring us together!
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Yes, it is timely theme about a boy’s vision bringing his community together.
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I saw so much amazing street art in different US cities last year. I am excited to see another Verde picture book. And OH YES, to any wall that draws people together and builds community!
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And, it is led by a child. 🙂
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I recently heard from local artists about a pice of interactive mural art coming soon to my city – might be nice to share this book with my storytime gang in anticipation!
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I think it would be a great idea to share with your local artists friends.
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This sounds like a great book. I have it on hold. Thanks for introducing me to it. 🙂
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It is a beautiful story about how a boy’s idea encourages the community to get involved.
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Philadelphia has some great murals. Thanks for sharing this book!
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You are welcome. That’s nice to know. I’m sure there are murals in many cities.
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This sounds wonderful, Patricia. I love books that help children (and adults) realise that they can make a difference.
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My favorite kind of stories — children making a difference!
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We need more of them. 🙂
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They’ve done a wall in Denver near a busy interstate that separates it from a school. It was a wonderful way to bring the community together. This book would be a perfect one to share. Thanks for featuring it.
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You are welcome. I love that a child initiates the project, the community becomes interested and all get involved to create something special.
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Thanks for sharing this one. I must read it. I love books that feature kids who are taking action and getting involved in their communities!
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Beautiful story about kids making a difference and their community supporting them.
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What a wonderful story!
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It really is a wonderful story about empowerment and community.
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