Me and the Boss: A Story About Mending and Love

by Michelle Edwards, April Harrison (Illustrator)

Overview

CORETTA SCOTT KING ILLUSTRATOR HONOR AWARD WINNER
CHARLOTTE ZOLOTOW AWARD WINNER

All the highs and lows of having a bossy, protective, and loving older sibling are depicted in this heartwarming picture book by a critically acclaimed author and award-winning illustrator.

Meet Lee, a little boy who won't give up until he learns how to sew, and Zora, the sister who watches him try—and ultimately succeed!

"I know big sisters. Zora, the boss, she's mine," explains Lee as he and Zora head to the library, where Mrs. C is teaching the children how to sew. Though Zora sews a beautiful flower on her cloth square, little Lee makes a mess out of the half-moon he is trying to stitch. That night, when he can't sleep, he gives sewing another try...and succeeds, even mending the hole in his pants pocket! The next morning, he sneaks into Zora's room and sews the ear back on Bess, her stuffed bear. When Zora discovers Bess, she wraps Lee in her special big sister hug—for just a moment—and then is back to being the boss once again.

National Jewish Book Award-winning author Michelle Edwards and Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe Award-winning illustrator April Harrison create a funny, oh-so-true portrait of a brother and sister’s relationship in this winning picture book.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593310670
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	10/11/2022
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	124,770
Product dimensions:	8.70(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Michelle Edwards is the author of numerous picture books, including A Hat for Mrs. Goldman, which received four starred reviews and was hailed as "heartwarming" by the New York Times. She received the Charlotte Zolotow Award for Me and the Boss. Her other titles include Chicken Man, winner of the National Jewish Book Award; Max Makes a Cake, illustrated by Charles Santoso; and Room for the Baby, illustrated by Jana Christy. A lifelong knitter, Michelle has also written an adult title, A Knitter's Home Companion. She lives in Iowa City, Iowa. Visit her at michelledwards.com.

April Harrison is an award-winning children's book illustrator. She received the Coretta Scott King-John Steptoe New Talent Award for Patricia C. McKissack's final picture book, What Is Given from the Heart, which received four starred reviews and which the New York Times Book Review called an "exquisite story of generosity." She also received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for Me and the Boss. April illustrated Alicia D. William's Shirley Chisholm Dared, as well as Tricia Elam Walker's Nana Akua Goes to School, which also received four starred reviews. Her work appears in the public collections of Vanderbilt University, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, the Atlanta Housing Authority, and the Erskine University Museum and in many private collections. April lives in South Carolina. Visit her at april-harrison.com.

Editorial Reviews

09/05/2022

“I know big sisters,” Lee says. “Zora, the boss, she’s mine. I go wherever she goes, and we are always home before dark. Those are the rules.” At their local library, the siblings, portrayed as Black, learn embroidery; Zora sews a flower that earns compliments from their parents, whereas Lee makes a “mess” and discovers a hole in his pocket. When Lee wakes in the middle of the night, the quiet and lack of oversight grant him the space to practice what he’s learned: he embroiders a smiling moon, mends the hole in his pocket, and reattaches a missing ear to Zora’s stuffed bear. The final act results in a big hug and thanks from Zora... before she orders him to get ready for another outing. “I fixed her bear, and she’s back to being the boss,” Lee’s wry first-person narration reads. In collage, acrylic, and pen and pencil art, Harrison (Nana Akua Goes to School) focuses on settings that range from the public and communal to the private and personal. Edwards (A Hat for Mrs. Goldman) highlights the funny, loving sibling dynamic—as well as the triumph of learning and applying a brand-new skill. Craft instructions conclude. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Lori Kilkelly, LK Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Regina Brooks, Serendipity Literary. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Harrison’s illustrations are the star here, in no small part because she’s a self-taught artist grounded in African American folk traditions: The pleasure of making isn’t just for the elite or highly trained." —New York Times Book Review

★ "A captivating picture book.” —Booklist, starred review

★ "A gorgeous, powerful exploration of a loving sibling relationship.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A wonderful read-aloud." —The Horn Book

From the Publisher

★ 2022-10-12
A young Black boy discovers the joy of sewing on a trip to the local library with his big sister.

It’s clear why 6-year-old Lee calls his elder sister, Zora, the boss. Zora embodies confidence: She gives directions to Lee and others and enforces the rules they must both follow when out and about away from home. One day, Lee walks with Zora to a local library, where they are taught to sew. Zora takes to sewing easily, while Lee struggles to avoid pricking himself with the needle and to create what he desires. When the children return home, Zora proudly shows her creation to their parents, but Lee chooses to wait to show them his work. Later that night, awakened by a noise and unable to sleep, Lee practices sewing in the quiet of his bed and completes the craft from earlier in the day, developing a useful skill that later ushers in a tender moment between him and the boss. Appropriately reminiscent of textiles, the collage, acrylic, pen, and pencil illustrations consist of a variety of vibrant hues. The imagery offers depth, texture, and movement, complementing the vivid and engrossing text and bringing to life the strong bond between Lee and Zora. Lee’s family is Black; the other kids at the library are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Though simple, a gorgeous, powerful exploration of a loving sibling relationship. (instructions for making Lee's Smiling Moon) (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews