From the international best-selling author of Sidewalk Flowers and the illustrator of The King of the Birds, a picture book about crime, punishment…and art.
When Holland is arrested for the thirty-seventh time for stealing beautiful things, he must make a very difficult decision. A police officer says that he must either go to jail or become a soldier. He chooses to join the army and is sent south, where he finds himself surrounded by beautiful things: palm trees, parrots, flowers and big blue waves…and fish!
Holland starts painting pictures of the fish, which he sells at the market on the weekend. Soon, he has money to send home to his parents. They are worried that he’s gone back to his stealing ways, so his father writes to ask if he earned the money honestly. Holland writes back to reassure him that he has decided to paint instead of steal because “not everything that’s pretty can be stuffed in your pockets!”
Based on a true story about JonArno Lawson’s uncle, and accompanied by Natalie Nelson’s collage illustrations, this quirky picture book is about making choices – and art.
Key Text Features
author’s note
true story
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
From the international best-selling author of Sidewalk Flowers and the illustrator of The King of the Birds, a picture book about crime, punishment…and art.
When Holland is arrested for the thirty-seventh time for stealing beautiful things, he must make a very difficult decision. A police officer says that he must either go to jail or become a soldier. He chooses to join the army and is sent south, where he finds himself surrounded by beautiful things: palm trees, parrots, flowers and big blue waves…and fish!
Holland starts painting pictures of the fish, which he sells at the market on the weekend. Soon, he has money to send home to his parents. They are worried that he’s gone back to his stealing ways, so his father writes to ask if he earned the money honestly. Holland writes back to reassure him that he has decided to paint instead of steal because “not everything that’s pretty can be stuffed in your pockets!”
Based on a true story about JonArno Lawson’s uncle, and accompanied by Natalie Nelson’s collage illustrations, this quirky picture book is about making choices – and art.
Key Text Features
author’s note
true story
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1
Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Apr 1, 2017 |
| Specifications | 32 pages | 10 in x 8.5 in |
| Keywords | family and family issues; redemption; thief; stealing; disappointed parents; crime and punishment; importance of truth; family history; black sheep; shame; honesty; forgiveness; acceptance; pride; justice; writing letters; writing workshop; determining importance; picture book; humor; author's note; true story; collage style artwork; |
| Written By |
JONARNO LAWSON’S internationally acclaimed picture book Sidewalk Flowers won the Governor General’s Literary Award and was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book, among many other accolades. He is a four-time winner of the Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Children’s Poetry and the author of numerous books for children and adults. JonArno lives in Toronto with his wife and three children. |
| Illustrated by |
NATALIE NELSON is an illustrator and author of many books for children. Her most recent titles include Dog's First Baby and Cat's First Baby, published by Quirk Books, and Holiday!, published by Groundwood Books. Her illustrations have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post and numerous other editorial publications. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two young children. |
| Written By |
|
JONARNO LAWSON’S internationally acclaimed picture book Sidewalk Flowers won the Governor General’s Literary Award and was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book, among many other accolades. He is a four-time winner of the Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Children’s Poetry and the author of numerous books for children and adults. JonArno lives in Toronto with his wife and three children. |
| Illustrated by |
|
NATALIE NELSON is an illustrator and author of many books for children. Her most recent titles include Dog's First Baby and Cat's First Baby, published by Quirk Books, and Holiday!, published by Groundwood Books. Her illustrations have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post and numerous other editorial publications. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband and two young children. |
| Audience | ages 4 to 7 / grades K to 2 |
| Reading Levels | Lexile AD640L |
| Key Text Features | author's note; true story |
| Common Core |
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.3
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.4.1 |
“Sophisticated yet playful, this is an unusual, original work recommended for most picture book collections.” —School Library Journal
“Austere and quirky, with lots of room for conversations.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A delightfully offbeat testament to being delightfully offbeat.” —Booklist
“A good reminder that you don't have to be a figure of historical importance to have a captivating life story.” —Horn Book