The Paperboy (Caldecott Honor Book) - Hardcover

Pilkey, Dav

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0545871867 ISBN 13: 9780545871860

Publisher: Orchard Books, 2016

Synopsis

In the still before dawn, while the rest of the world is sleeping, a boy and his dog leave the comfort of their warm bed to deliver newspapers. As the boy pedals his bike along a route he knows by heart, his dog runs by his side, both enjoying a world that, before sunrise, belongs only to them.

Acclaimed author and artist Dav Pilkey celebrates the beauty found in silence and the peace that comes from being with a beloved friend in this newly remastered edition of his timeless, Caldecott Honor-winning picture book.

About this title

About the Author:

Dav Pilkey has written and illustrated numerous popular, award-winning books for children, including the Captain Underpants and Dumb Bunnies series; Dog Breath, winner of the California Young Reader Medal; and The Paperboy, a Caldecott Honor Book. He lives with his wife in the Pacific Northwest. Visit him online at www.pilkey.com.

From Booklist:

Ages 3^-6. In the quiet hour before dawn, a boy and his dog get out of their warm bed, eat their breakfasts, and deliver the newspapers. Riding his bike along the delivery route, the boy thinks about "Big Things. And small things. And sometimes he is thinking about nothing at all." Meanwhile, his dog travels the same route in his own way: "He knows which trees are for sniffing. He knows which birdbaths are for drinking, which squirrels are for chasing, and which cats are for growling at." Happy together before the rest of the world awakes, they finish the job and head back home to bed, where they dream of flying across the night sky. The story tells the details of a paperboy's morning in a matter-of-fact way, and young children will find those details fascinating: the wordless pages that show how the papers arrive at the boy's house; the paperboy snapping the green rubber bands around the rolled newspapers; and the empty red bag flapping behind the boy as he pedals home. The dual story of boy and dog adds dimension throughout and leads to a satisfying conclusion, but just as important is the sense of time passing within the story and the artwork. Using simplified shapes and muted colors shot with light, the acrylic paintings include beautifully composed landscapes and interiors, ending with a Chagall-like dream scene on the last page. An evocative mood piece, this captures the elusive feeling of being outside before dawn. Carolyn Phelan

About this edition

• Publisher: Orchard Books
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 0545871867
• ISBN 13: 9780545871860
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Pilkey Dav