Ball & Balloon

by Rob Sanders, Helen Yoon (Illustrator)

Overview

A ball must learn to deal with his envy when a floating balloon has him feeling down in this simple and relatable story that reminds little ones that being different is what makes you special.

Balloon can soar, he can fly, he can dip, duck, and hover—all on his own.

Balloon is full of gas. He knows it, too. It makes Ball feel grounded by gravity.

Balloon is super special. What if Ball is not so special?

Turns out Ball’s got some moves of his own.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534425620
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	08/27/2019
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	229,773
Product dimensions:	7.70(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.40(d)
Lexile:	AD400L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Rob Sanders is a writer who teaches and a teacher who writes. Every day he goes to Mintz Elementary School in Brandon, Florida, to teach students about books and words and reading and writing. Then he heads back home to write fierce and funny picture books for kids. Rob likes to grow things, teach things, learn things, and read things. He’s definitely an earthbound human, but he has high-flying ideas, hopes, and dreams. Nothing gets him soaring quite as much as hearing boys and girls say, “Read it again!” Visit Rob’s website at RobSandersWrites.com.


Born and raised in California, Helen Yoon graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a BS in chemistry and from Art Center College of Design with a BFA in illustration. She writes and draws for a living. She is fond of sabbaticals.

Editorial Reviews

★ 08/01/2019

PreS-Gr 2—Ball is feeling low. He is envious of Balloon and his ability to soar gracefully into the sky. But "gravity had Ball down." He can't even manage a single bounce until helpful hands arrive to give him a beginning push, and suddenly he's flying high into the air. The presence of a basketball hoop (lightly represented in background images) sends Ball sailing from hand to hand, eventually scoring in a pickup game—"I'm so lucky…So lucky to be a ball"— and a momentarily "deflated" Balloon can do nothing but wait until a playmate finds games for both of his well-rounded friends. Brief text and dialogue emphasized by dramatic use of white space, color, and perspective enhance the graphic design and the simple cartoon expressions of both Ball and Balloon. Characters speak with a child's voice as Ball's growing awareness of his own special abilities reveals to him that his joy is inside him, and life as a ball is just fine. VERDICT A soaring suggested first purchase for all libraries. —Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

School Library Journal

2019-04-28
Sitting still on the ground, alone, Ball wishes he could soar like Balloon. Suddenly he's thrown, bounced, rolled, passed, and kicked in a fantastic playground pickup game, and he sees what's fantastic about being himself.

Children encounter other crucial lifelong lessons in this engaging picture book about two simple objects that give young people unending pleasure. Apostrophic lines give Ball and Balloon expressions children can easily interpret: embarrassment, smugness, surprise, pride, exhilaration, discouragement, love, satisfaction, and reciprocity. When Ball tries to roll and bounce on his own but can't, Balloon taunts from above, calling, "The sky's the limit.…Ta-ta, Ball!" Both Ball's impotent dejection and Balloon's glib gloating (so vividly depicted in distilled language and nuanced facial expressions against a white backdrop) arrive as arrows to readers' hearts, which will recognize both feelings as their own. Digitally compiled mixed-media illustrations offer varied perspectives, from way above the basketball hoop to down at the asphalt, as well as lots of movement, with Ball whizzing and Balloon floating. The cleanliness and clarity of these illustrations facilitate a focus on feelings. Children glean fundamental lessons in empathy, navigating exhilaration and sadness, and the importance of helping others while riding out Ball's and Balloon's emotional (and literal) highs and lows.

Entertaining and instructive for the playground set. (Picture book. 2-6)

Kirkus Reviews