Smoky Night

by Eve Bunting, David Diaz (Illustrator)

Overview

In this Caldecott Medal-winning modern classic, a young boy and his mother witness the Los Angeles riots from the safety of shelter after being forced to leave their apartment.

Winner of the 1995 Caldecott Medal.

During the Los Angeles riots, Daniel and his mother witness the night's events unfold from the safety of shelter after they are forced to leave their apartment. “Diaz has not been afraid to take risks in illustrating the story with thickly textured paintings against a background of torn-paper and found-object collage. Without becoming cluttered or gimmicky, these pictures manage to capture a calamitous atmosphere that finally calms. . . . Both author and artist have managed to portray a politically charged event without pretense or preaching.”—The Bulletin

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780152018849
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	04/01/1999
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	406,290
Product dimensions:	10.00(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.12(d)
Lexile:	530L (what's this?)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Eve Bunting was the beloved, award-winning author of more than two hundred and fifty books for young people, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere.

David Diaz has illustrated numerous award-winning books for children, including Smoky Night by Eve Bunting, for which he was awarded the Caldecott Medal; The Wanderer by Sharon Creech, which received a Newbery Honor; and Diego: Bigger Than Life by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, a Pura Belpré Honor Award winner. An illustrator and graphic designer for more than twenty-five years, he is also a painter and an accomplished ceramic artist. Mr. Diaz lives in Carlsbad, California.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Monumental.”—The New York Times Book Review
"Visually exciting.”—Publishers Weekly
"A memorable, thought-provoking book.”—The Horn Book
"Outstandingly handsome...an excellent vehicle for discussion.”—Kirkus Reviews
"[A] powerful story.”—School Library Journal
"A remarkable book.”—The Hungry Mind Review
"Bunting takes a serious subject...and makes it understandable for children.”—Instructor

Editorial Reviews

"Monumental.”—The New York Times Book Review
"Visually exciting.”—Publishers Weekly
"A memorable, thought-provoking book.”—The Horn Book
"Outstandingly handsome...an excellent vehicle for discussion.”—Kirkus Reviews
"[A] powerful story.”—School Library Journal
"A remarkable book.”—The Hungry Mind Review
"Bunting takes a serious subject...and makes it understandable for children.”—Instructor
—

From the Publisher

Bunting addresses urban violence in this thought-provoking and visually exciting picture book inspired by the Los Angeles riots. Although they're neighbors, Daniel's cat and Mrs. Kim's cat don't get along. Nor do Daniel and his mother shop at Mrs. Kim's market. ``It's better if we buy from our own people,'' Daniel's mother says. But when Daniel's apartment building goes up in flames, all of the neighbors (including the cats) learn the value of bridging differences. Bunting does not explicitly connect her message about racism with the riots in her story's background, but her work is thoroughly believable and taut, steering clear of the maudlin or didactic. Diaz's dazzling mixed-media collages superimpose bold acrylic illustrations on photographs of carefully arranged backgrounds that feature a wide array of symbolic materials--from scraps of paper and shards of broken glass to spilled rice and plastic dry-cleaner bags. Interestingly, Diaz doesn't strongly differentiate the presumably Asian American Mrs. Kim from the African American characters--even the artwork here cautions the reader against assumptions about race. Ages 5-up. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

K-Gr 3-Daniel and his mother watch through their window as an urban riot is in progress. She tries to explain what is happening as he sees the laughing people break into the neighborhood stores and rob them. One of the victims is Mrs. Kim, whose cat is the enemy of his cat, Jasmine. Daniel's mother doesn't shop at Mrs. Kim's store because she feels it's better to ``buy from our own people.'' Later, their building is set on fire and he and his mother go with their neighbors to a shelter. The boy worries about Jasmine, and is relieved when a fireman brings her and Mrs. Kim's cat to the shelter. The felines have learned to get along in their shared danger. Bunting skillfully uses the voice of the child narrator. His innocent view of the riots makes the destructive behavior of the rioters more abhorrent. His suggestion that the cats were enemies only because they did not know each other well enough enables the adults to reach out to one another and bridge the distance their prejudice has kept between them. Diaz illustrates the story with bold, dark, stylized acrylic paintings framed by collage backgrounds of various textured objects usually reflecting the text. When the rioters loot a dry cleaners, for example, the background is wire hangers and plastic film. The pictures are more arresting than appealing, but they invite discussion and will stimulate thoughtful responses to this quietly powerful story.-Louise L. Sherman, Anna C. Scott School, Leonia, NJ

School Library Journal