Great Joy (midi edition)

by Kate DiCamillo, Bagram Ibatoulline (Illustrator)

Overview

"Newbery Medalist DiCamillo spins a tale of compassion and holiday warmth." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

A New York Times Bestseller
A Time Magazine Top 10 Book of the Year
Four starred reviews (Booklist, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal)

It is just before Christmas when an organ grinder and monkey appear on the street outside Frances’s apartment. When it’s quiet she can hear their music, and when she looks out her window at midnight, she sees them sleeping outside. Finally the day of the Christmas pageant arrives, but when it’s Frances’s turn to speak, all she can think about is the organ grinder’s sad eyes — until a door opens just in time, and she finds the perfect words to share. With this luminous tale, Kate DiCamillo pairs with Bagram Ibatoulline to offer a timeless holiday gift.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763649968
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	09/14/2010
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	7.50(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD680L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kate DiCamillo is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Magician’s Elephant; The Tale of Despereaux, which was awarded the Newbery Medal; The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, winner of a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award; Because of Winn-Dixie, a Newbery Honor Book; The Tiger Rising, a National Book Award Finalist; and six books starring Mercy Watson, including the Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride. She lives in Minneapolis.

Bagram Ibatoulline is the illustrator of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, as well as On the Blue Comet by Rosemary Wells; Thumbelina retold by Brian Alderson; The Animal Hedge by Paul Fleischman; Hans Christian Andersen’s The Tinderbox and The Nightingale, both retold by Stephen Mitchell; The Serpent Came to Gloucester by M. T. Anderson; and Hana in the Time of the Tulips by Deborah Noyes. He lives in Pennsylvania.

Hometown:

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Date of Birth:

March 25, 1964

Place of Birth:

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Education:

B.A. in English, University of Florida at Gainesville, 1987

Editorial Reviews

With spot-on storytelling rhythms and pacing, Newbery Medalist DiCamillo spins a tale of compassion and holiday warmth from a most unlikely image. Frances is so preoccupied by the hard-luck organ grinder and monkey she can see from her apartment window that it's hard to focus on the fast-approaching church Christmas pageant. It's not until the man and monkey make their way to the performance (at Frances's invitation) that her words, "Behold! I bring you tidings of great joy," make perfect sense to her. Ibatoulline's (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane) WWII-era scenes have a subdued yet comforting glow, illuminated by streetlamps and stage lights. Ages 4-8. (Nov.)

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

Publishers Weekly

K-Gr 2-Frances worries about the organ grinder and his monkey who stand across from her apartment all day, in all kinds of bad weather, and even sleep outside. On the day she is to perform in a Christmas play at her church, she impulsively invites him to come; it is only when he finally makes his appearance that she can call out her one line, "Behold! I bring you tidings of Great Joy!" The plotline is simplicity itself, and the text lacks any sentimentality or fluff, allowing the acrylic paintings, reminiscent of Norman Rockwell's work in their warmth and realism, to enrich and expand the story. Although no mention of a time period is made in the text, the clothing, the cars, and a portrait of a young man in uniform in Frances's apartment make clear that this is America during World War II. The organ grinder is entirely isolated on his street corner, despite being surrounded by Christmas bustle; it is Frances who shines a light on him and makes the tiny but vital gesture necessary to draw him into the life and light of the community. The last spread, unaccompanied by text, depicts the aftermath of the play, young actors and doting relatives and the monkey mingling and eating refreshments, while the organ grinder chats with Frances's mom. His troubles aren't over, perhaps, but for the moment, there is warmth, hope, and even great joy.-Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library

Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

School Library Journal

Newbery Medalist DiCamillo is joined again by the illustrator of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (2005) in this moving story that offers the reader (or young listener) a treat: a story with an outwardly simple plot but with an inner core of meaning that is deeply satisfying. The main character, Frances, is a little girl who lives in a city apartment with her mother in the 1940s. From their second-story window, Frances watches an older man standing on the corner with an organ grinder and a little monkey in a red cap. In a series of tiny actions that all add up to something larger, she draws the lonely man into her world, and by the final, wordless spread, a stranger has come in out of the cold to join the group. DiCamillo tells her story with a light, deft hand and a minimum of words that make the story all the more powerful. Ibatoulline's mysterious paintings are understated as well, filled with subtle, glowing accents from streetlights, shop windows and stage lights when Frances performs her role as an angel in her church pageant. This simple but powerful story will indeed bring the reader great joy. (Picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews

The plotline is simplicity itself, and the text lacks any sentimentality or fluff, allowing the acrylic paintings, reminiscent of Norman Rockwell’s work in their warmth and realism, to enrich and expand the story.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

Ibatoulline’s evocative artwork moves [the story] to a higher level. The setting is the 1940s, and the art captures the time beautifully.
—Booklist (starred review)

This simple but powerful story will indeed bring the reader great joy.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Newbury Medalist DiCamillo spins a tale of compassion and holiday warmth.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Yet another wonderful tale from the award-winning author that is beautifully depicted by Ibatoulline.
—Library Media Connection, Highly Recommended

Bagram Ibatoulline's illustrations are all about the contrast between warmer, golden interiors and the cold purplish blue of winter's twilight. Frances acts in a way that lets her feel joy from within.
—Chicago Tribune

Newbery medalist Kate DiCamillo’s heart-warming prose is gorgeously complimented by Bagram Ibatoulline’s inspiring illustrations…overlaid with a hazy glow of wonder.
—National Center for the Study of Children’s Literature

The fabulous duo of DiCamillo and Ibatoulline, who gave us the beautiful Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane last year, has teamed up for a picture book that could become a holiday classic.
—Kansas City Star

It's a simple story with a simple ending, but it focuses on what the season is supposed to be about: giving to others and opening up your heart.
—Louisville Courier-Journal

A gorgeous volume with illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline, Great Joy is about the difference between marking Christmas and understanding its meaning.
—Miami Herald

There's genuine warmth to the satisfying Christmas pageant climax, which resonates like a favorite carol — the kind that makes you cry.
—Minneapolis Star Tribune

The atmospheric art contrasts the chill of the weather and warm glow of the climactic welcoming celebration.
—San Francisco Chronicle

The best yule book of 2007…would revive anyone's Christmas spirit after a day spent enveloped in a swirl of mall Muzak and shoppers' elbows.
—Tacoma News Tribune

An inspiring story of Christmas kindness…Luminous paintings capture the story's depth and light.
—Grand Rapids Press

[A] touching story of good will toward all…Bagram Ibatoulline's subtle illustrations convey the true spirit of the season.
—Literary Features Syndicate

Spare, loving prose and luminous acrylic illustrations make each full-page spread a heartfelt joy. Read this giving tale aloud to your loved ones this season.
—Copley News Service

Unparalleled in its simplicity of words and its ethereal illustrations.
—The Asheville Citizen-Times

This magnificently illustrated, heartwarming book is a different kind of holiday tale, one that addresses the true meaning of Christmas.
—Catholic Online

Luminous illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline accentuate the power of random acts of kindness.
—Charlotte Parent

A beautiful book from a very special storyteller. You’ll want to add this to your family’s collection.
—Parentclick.com

Heart-warming prose is gorgeously complemented by…inspiring illustrations…overlaid with a hazy glow of wonder.
—National Center for the Study of Children’s Literature

From the Publisher