Good-bye, Curtis

by Kevin Henkes, Marisabina Russo (Illustrator)

Overview

Celebrate your mail carrier—and all the people who make a community strong—with this charming picture book.

Everyone loves Curtis!

Curtis has been delivering mail for forty-two years. Today is his last day. And all the mailboxes along his route are filled with surprises.

But the very real surprise is at the very last house on the very last street.

“A charming book that evokes the best of a community. Words and art perform an affectionate duet. ”—Kirkus

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780688128272
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/15/1995
Pages:	24
Product dimensions:	8.00(w) x 9.88(h) x 0.25(d)
Lexile:	500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kevin Henkes has been praised both as a writer and as an illustrator and is the recipient of the Children’s Literature Legacy Award for his lasting contribution to literature for children. He received the Caldecott Medal for Kitten’s First Full Moon; Caldecott Honors for Waiting and Owen; two Newbery Honors, one for Olive’s Ocean and one for The Year of Billy Miller; and Geisel Honors for Waiting and Penny and Her Marble. His other books include The World and Everything in It; A House; A Parade of Elephants; Chrysanthemum; and the beloved Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives with his family in Madison, Wisconsin.

Marisabina Russo's warm, distinctive picture books usually mirror everyday scenarios from her own family's life. The Big Brown Box was inspired by her three children's tendency to entertain themselves—and each other—with common household objects (which included many a cardboard box).

Ms. Russo has written and illustrated many picture books for children, and has illustrated several by other authors. She and her husband and children live in Westchester County, New York.

Hometown:

Madison, Wisconsin

Date of Birth:

November 27, 1960

Place of Birth:

Racine, Wisconsin

Education:

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Website:

http://www.kevinhenkes.com

Editorial Reviews

PreS-KAn unexciting premisethe mailman's last day before retirementis the basis of this cheerful story and lively illustrations. On his last round, Curtis, beloved by all of his patrons, from babies to grandparents, finds little gifts in their mailboxes and is greeted by an affectionate throng at the very last house, where a party is being given in his honor. In his 42 years of carrying letters, the man has seen many changes in the neighborhood, which become the most interesting part of the story. The text is simple, pleasantly repetitive, rhythmic, and reads aloud well. The gouache pictures, done in pure, bright colors, are flat, cartoonlike, humorous, and winning, as they show the variety of residents, pets, dwellings, and businesses of Curtis's postal domain.Patricia Pearl Dole, formerly at First Presbyterian School, Martinsville, VA

School Library Journal

After 42 years delivering the mail to neighborhood shops and houses, Curtis is retiring. This agreeable picture book follows the beloved mailman's route on his last day, when young and old give him hugs and handshakes, little presents and best wishes. At the last house, Curtis' family and friends surprise him with a party in his honor. The next day he writes thank-you notes . . . "and he knows all the addresses by heart." Henkes' simple text sets a tone that's just right for preschoolers: straightforward and affectionate without a hint of sentimentality. In the same spirit, Russo's paintings illuminate the story through small details and gestures painted in a simplified style. One interesting spread depicts the changes that Curtis has seen in his neighborhood over the years. Teachers looking for picture books about "community helpers" will find this a good choice for reading aloud.

Carolyn Phelan