Say Hello

by Jack Foreman, Michael Foreman (Illustrator)

Overview

"A beautiful pairing of son’s sparse rhyming text with father’s simple drawings . . . A poignant debut about including others and making friends." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

A lone dog comes upon a group of kids playing ball and with leaping ease, joins the game. They’re all having so much fun, they don’t see a sad little boy standing off by himself. Who will spy the boy and invite him to play? With arresting images by a master illustrator and a simple, touching text by his son, Say Hello evokes the joy and relief of finding a new friend just when you need one the most.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763660871
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	09/11/2012
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Jack Foreman is studying art history in college. This, his first book, is based on a heartfelt poem he wrote when he was about ten about his own experience of being bullied in school. He lives in London.

Michael Foreman is one of the world’s leading illustrators. He is the author-illustrator of MIA'S STORY, A CHILD'S GARDEN, and many other children’s books. He lives in London.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

A beautiful pairing of...sparse rhyming text...[and] simple drawings.
—Kirkus Reviews

This beautifully designed offering will resonate with its audience.
—Booklist

Editorial Reviews

A beautiful pairing of...sparse rhyming text...[and] simple drawings.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

This beautifully designed offering will resonate with its audience.
—Booklist (starred review)

From the Publisher

PreS-Gr 2- A simple story about loneliness and the power of friendliness. Spare charcoal, pastel, and colored pencil drawings illustrate first a lonely dog, then a sad little boy as they longingly watch and finally join an exuberant group of children playing ball. Lots of white space and thoughtful page layout emphasize the emotions being conveyed, as does the judicious use of color and detail. The dog serves as the best role model in the book, being outgoing ("Can I play too?") and inviting the little boy to join the fun. The closing message: "When someone's feeling left out, low, it doesn't take much to say...hello!" is a valuable one for all ages. Though the endpapers exuberantly display the word "hello" in many different languages, the group of children depicted is homogenous. In spite of that weakness, this book would be especially useful for discussions about bullying, empathy, and character education.-Amy Rowland, Guggenheim Elementary School, Port Washington, NY

School Library Journal

A beautiful pairing of son's sparse rhyming text with father's simple drawings says it all in this poignant debut about including others and making friends. A small, lonely dog pokes into garbage cans and hopefully watches a beloved cat with her owner before coming upon a group of children playing ball and gleefully leaping into its midst. The text then shifts to a lonely little boy miserably watching the children and the dog playing. "Left out, no fun. / I wouldn't do this to anyone." Eventually the dog notices him and includes him in the game. "When someone's feeling left out, low, / it doesn't take much to say . . . hello!" Michael Foreman's spare line drawings on the all-white background perfectly capture the misery of being left out. The almost total lack of color enhances the sense of isolation: gray lines depict the characters, blue indicates setting, with red reserved for the ball. Guidance counselors, primary teachers and art teachers will all find a spot for this one on their shelves. (Picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews