An exuberant picture book about a Black boy with big dancing dreams who learns the meaning of courage and community.
Alliah L. Agostini has an AB and MBA from Harvard and currently
resides in New Jersey, where she enjoys impromptu dance parties and
making up corny jokes with her husband and two children. Big Tune
is her first fiction picture book. alliahagostini.com
Shamar Knight-Justice is the principal of an elementary school in
southwest Atlanta, where his scholars' stories and personalities
inspire him to create illustrations that honor their identities.
When not drawing, Shamar loves to spend time hoarding collage
materials, going on long walks with his family, and devouring the
nearest pancake. shamarknightjustice.com
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Year
"This lively, vibrant narrative has an infectious spirit, and Shane
is irresistible. Grounded in a tightknit Jamaican American
community, the story deftly incorporates visual and textual
references to dance styles, food, and other cultural touchstones...
Themes of joy, solidarity, and artistic expression are effortlessly
woven throughout the words and images... An exuberant celebration
of community that leaps off the page." --Kirkus, starred review
"Portrayals of diasporic Caribbean culture and a child's
selflessness distinguish Agostini's 1990s Brooklyn-set story
celebrating connection and community... Agostini's buoyant rhyming
verse pulses with details, and Knight-Justice's stylized
illustrations layer bold patterns and textures with typewritten
text, sheet music, and images of the Jamaican flag, building a
joyfully immersive portrait of neighborhood gatherings where
'Swaying hips wine fast and slow./ Brown skin shines with black
light's glow.'" --Publishers Weekly, starred review "The vibrant
beat of the rhyming text makes a splendid complement to the
energetic art. Rich textures evocative of cutpaper collage and
dynamic patterns give enthusiastic life to the more geometric
backgrounds, and figures are always in movement, with poses
swinging, swaying, and bopping." --The Bulletin of the Center for
Children's Books "The picture book stresses the importance of
community and selflessness, essential lessons for a picture book
audience. Distinctive and vibrant collage-style illustrations
depict a Black community of various skin tones and hair textures.
This unique picture book's celebration of Jamaican culture and
community is a great addition to every -library." --School Library
Journal
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