Yesterday I Had the Blues

by Jeron Ashford Frame and R. Gregory Christie

“Yesterday I had the blues...those deep down in my shoes blues...the hold a... read more

“Yesterday I had the blues...those deep down in my shoes blues...the hold a pillow, wish it was tomorrow blues.” Jeron Ashford Frame’s expressive picture book features an African American boy’s inventive descriptions of many moods. The extended metaphors are marvelous displays of creative language use in a book that is accessible and appealing to younger children and a wonderful example of descriptive writing for older students as well. There is plenty of warmth and humor in both the text and R. Gregory Christie’s vibrant, color-saturated illustrations. They show a loving family in which some days are clearly better than others for its various members. Sometimes laughter resides in the interplay between text and art, as in the picture accompanying the text, “Mama says she got the reds. Look out!” in which the boy and his sister have been caught jumping on the bed. Everyday recognizable moments—and feelings—are the foundation of this terrific volume. Highly Commended, 2004 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 5–10)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2004

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