Judith Heide Gilliland

I am enjoying my 2022 quest to read most, if not all of my large accumulation of illustrated books. Primarily, I love the creative art found in these story books. This book in particular, brought laughter at the sheer creativity.

Newtown found a magical red crayon on the sidewalk. It felt warm when he placed it in his pocket. His mother gave him a large box of blank sheets of paper. He soon discovered that everything he drew flew off the page and became the reality of what he drew. A red shiny ball bounced off the page, and he caught it every time it hit the wall. "Not In the House Newton!" was what his mother said every time his creations became a reality.

A bright red race car, fire engine, a shiny pair of boots with a side zipper all became objects of play. And, when playing with each creation, the same words were heard loudly from his mother --"Not In the House Newton!"

Asking for a roll of tape, he carefully pieced together each drawing. On the back, he drew his most perfect creation of a bright red airplane with perfect wings . When he finished, the object once again became real. The door opened and Newton flew out the window. He called to his mother not to worry, he would not be navigating the plane in the house. Away he flew, with the bright red, warm crayon in his pocket.… (mehr)

This book is an excellent choice for the study of multicultural issues in elementary school. Ahmed is a boy who lives in Cairo, Egypt and he uses a donkey cart to deliver cans of fuel. He is proud of the fact that he can handle the donkey by himself and carry the cans up the stairs unaided. The story is a chronology of one of his days delivering his goods. He recites the people he sees every day as well as the sights and sounds of the streets of Cairo. The time setting appears to be in the 1950's or 1960's. There are cars on the streets and they appear to be of that age. Ahmed and his father also briefly discuss the desert and the Nile River, the two geographical features that make Egypt what it is. This day is also a bit special for Ahmed, for when the day is done, he reveals the exciting news that he has been saving for his family, the fact that he can write his name. Ahmed is simultaneously an ordinary and extraordinary Arab boy, just like all other boys around the world. Children of other cultures will learn much from reading about him.… (mehr)

Ahmed has a secret, and all day long his secret will be like a friend to him.
Tonight he will tell it to his family, but first he has work to do. Throughout
the bustling city of Cairo, Ahmed rides his donkey cart - up streets crowded
with cars and camels, down alleyways filled with merchants' stalls, past
buildings a thousand years old. The sights and sound of his city fill the day,
and when at last his work is done and Ahmed hurries home, young readers will be
as excited to hear his secret as Ahmed is to tell it.… (mehr)