Book of the Week: Jabberwocky

Jabberwocky is powerful take on Lewis Carroll’s well-loved nonsensical poem and a sure fire hit for today’s young readers.  Illustrations come alive in electric color, framing and taking charge of Carroll’s bold verse.

An urban basketball court is the setting for a face-off between an epic challenger and hopeful contender.  Lime green, yellow, fuchsia, red, orange and sky blue text color the mood as the bold young hero takes on the Jabberwock in a game of one-on-one.  Control and thought arm the hero in what should be an impossible match-up versus the fourteen-fingered slam-dunking beast.  Students and teachers in grades four and up will find many lessons in this picture book for all ages: analysis of the setting for Myers’ illustrated interpretation, study of the use of portmanteaux in Carroll’s poem from his novel Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There (1871), or defining words of poems even if they are beyond definition.

Christopher Myers delivers a poem with punch.

Click here to view other books written and/or illustrated by Myers, one of today’s most talented children’s book illustrators.  Included on the list are: Harlem which earned a Caldecott Honor for illustrations, as well as Black Cat and Jazz which both earned Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honors.