The Ring Bearer

by Floyd Cooper

“Mama’s having a wedding, and Jackson has an important job to do …... read more

“Mama’s having a wedding, and Jackson has an important job to do … ” That job is to carry the rings for Mama and Bill down the aisle. But Jackson is worried he’ll trip. He’s worried about other things, too: being a big brother to Sophie, Bill’s daughter, and calling Bill “Dad.” In a picture book set in the minutes leading up to and during the wedding, Jackson’s anxiousness is genuine, but so, too, are the loving relationships revealed between Jackson and Bill, Jackson and Grandpop, Jackson and Mama, and Jackson and Sophie, who does trip when she is walking down the aisle. Luckily for Sophie, her about-to-be big brother is there to catch her. Judicious use of repetition underscores Jackson’s feelings while adding to the rhythmic pleasure of a narrative set against mixed-media illustrations that further emphasize the warm bonds among members of this African American family. (Ages 4-8)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2018

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