Published by Balzer + Bray

Summary:  “I come from early morning wake-ups, handcrafted blankets, knitted with memories.”  A boy goes through his day, recounting the people, places, foods, and events that make him who he is.  Some are good, like the pancakes and fried bologna for breakfast and the four square and hoop dreams on the playground.  Others, like long school days and racist comments (“Can I touch your hair?” “You don’t sound Black!”) are tougher to deal with.  At the end of the day, there’s dinner, family fun, and a cozy tuck-in: “Sleep tight and remember where you’re from…our dreams, hopes, ambitions, lionlike traditions.”  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I’m always thrilled to see a new book from Oge Mora, and this one is a beautiful meditation from poet Gary Gray in his picture book debut.  It could serve as a prompt for kids to write and/or illustrate their own “I’m From” stories. Another Caldecott contender.

Cons:  I wish I had some pancakes and fried bologna right now.