The Ring Bearer

by Floyd Cooper

Overview

Mama’s getting married, and Jackson has an important job to do! A story about love, weddings, and the special joy that is a blended family.

Jackson’s mama is getting married, and he gets to be the ring bearer. But Jackson is worried . . . What if he trips? Or walks too slowly? Or drops the rings? And what about his new stepsister, Sophie? She’s supposed to be the flower girl, but Jackson’s not sure she’s taking her job as seriously as she should.
 
In a celebration of blended families, this heartwarming story, stunningly illustrated by the award-winning Floyd Cooper, is a perfect gift for any child who's nervous to walk down the aisle at a wedding, and shows kids that they can handle life’s big changes.

Praise for The Ring Bearer:

"Throughout, Cooper's softly textured mixed-media illustrations offer a warm, affirming depiction of this black family's life and love together . . . Readers will be joining the congregation in cheering for Jackson."—Kirkus Reviews

"Written with simplicity, immediacy, and warmth....Cooper creates beautiful effects with subtle colors, textures, and suffused light in the soft-focus paintings. A heartening, reassuring picture book."—Booklist

"Children will identify readily with Jackson’s fears and enjoy the way he overcomes them. A solid purchase for any picture book collection."—School Library Journal

"Many children experience parental weddings, and these times are filledwith joy and nervousness. Cooper captures each moment."—Horn Book

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399167409
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/04/2017
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	370,263
Product dimensions:	7.70(w) x 11.30(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD540L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Floyd Cooper (www.floydcooper.com) always dreamed of becoming an artist, and he has now illustrated dozens of books for children, including Jump! (From the Life of Michael Jordan), Back of the Bus, and Max and the Tag-Along Moon. He received a Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations in The Blacker the Berry and a Coretta Scott King Honor for his illustrations in Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea and I Have Heard of a Land. He lives in New Jersey with his family. Follow him on Twitter @floydcooper4.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Ring Bearer:

"Throughout, Cooper's softly textured mixed-media illustrations offer a warm, affirming depiction of this black family's life and love together . . . Readers will be joining the congregation in cheering for Jackson."—Kirkus

"Written with simplicity, immediacy, and warmth....Cooper creates beautiful effects with subtle colors, textures, and suffused light in the soft-focus paintings. A heartening, reassuring picture book."—Booklist 

"Children will identify readily with Jackson’s fears and enjoy the way he overcomes them. A solid purchase for any picture book collection."—School Library Journal 

"Many children experience parental weddings, and these times are filledwith joy and nervousness. Cooper captures each moment."—Horn Book 

From the Publisher

03/01/2017
K-Gr 2—It's the day Jackson's mother is getting married, and the boy is anxious about many things. He is the ring bearer, and he's concerned about tripping as he goes down the aisle. Jackson is also getting a new stepsister named Sophie, and he's not sure what to think about that. He's also not sure about calling the man he knew as Bill "Dad." Sophie is the flower girl, and with a little coaching from Grandpop, the kids are ready to go down the aisle. Ignoring Grandpop's advice, Sophie skips instead of walking slowly, and trips on a step. Jackson sees what's happening, catches her before she falls, and saves the day to cheers and applause. Cooper's signature grainy paintings work in tandem with the text. His style is timeless; the pictures represent events that could have happened 50 years ago or just last week. The repetition of words and phrases will bolster confidence in young readers just as Jackson's confidence is built up by his family's loving kindness. VERDICT Children will identify readily with Jackson's fears and enjoy the way he overcomes them. A solid purchase for any picture book collection.—Jennifer Steib Simmons, Anderson County Library, SC

School Library Journal

2017-01-17
A ring bearer has wedding-day jitters, but the man his mother is marrying has a daughter who isn't the least bit nervous about being the flower girl.In this contemporary story wholly populated by African-American characters, Jackson is a little boy who feels a big sense of responsibility about being the ring bearer in Mama's wedding. He's worried that he may trip and fall and drop the rings, and so he's grateful when Grandpop helps him and Sophie (his soon-to-be stepsister) practice walking "down the aisle slow and steady. ‘That way you won't trip,' Grandpop says like he knows just what's in Jackson's heart." Sophie isn't nervous at all, and when her exuberant skip down the aisle makes her almost trip, Jackson rushes forward to catch her before she falls. Somehow the rings don't get lost in the shuffle, and Jackson's gallantry is applauded by everyone at the wedding, leaving him feeling proud of himself and confident about his relationships with his new family members. Throughout, Cooper's softly textured mixed-media illustrations offer a warm, affirming depiction of this black family's life and love together, though Jackson looks like he's about to sneeze when he first holds the rings and worries about them, which is a bit distracting. Readers will be joining the congregation in cheering for Jackson. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews

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