From the Publisher
Praise for The Perfect Place:
* “Digital illustrations by Escobar (A Plate of Hope) juxtapose the warmth of Lucas’s metropolitan neighborhood against a brightly oppressive alternate realm as Newbery Medalist de la Peña weighs perfectionism against the messiness of real-life love—'the right kind of imperfect.'” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Teaches young readers to be grateful about their individual upbringings and proud of their roots . . . Gorgeous watercolor vignettes and bright action scenes accompany this heartwarming, uplifting narrative about valuing uniqueness and imperfection over flawless idealism.” —Booklist
“Charming . . . A gentle reminder of the genuine beauty found in life’s wonderfully imperfect moments.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Lovely illustrations welcome readers to Lucas’s neighborhood with dark but luminous shades, illuminate the bright sunny place where everything is perfect, and convey the love Lucas and his family have for one another.” —School Library Journal
School Library Journal
07/12/2024
K-Gr 3—When Lucas receives a perfect grade on his robot report, he can't wait to share it with his family. But his dad's work truck keeps having trouble and his mom must rush out to her job at the local diner, so Lucas never gets the chance to share his news. At night, Lucas is woken by a light outside his window, and he decides to climb down to find the source. Lucas stumbles upon a place where everything is beautiful and perfect, and where he is recognized for his robot report. But in this perfect place, Lucas soon finds there is no room for making mistakes, and he begins to long for his imperfect home, full of its own beauty. Lovely illustrations welcome readers to Lucas's neighborhood with dark but luminous shades, illuminate the bright sunny place where everything is perfect, and convey the love Lucas and his family have for one another. VERDICT Sharing the message that things do not have to be perfect to be beautiful, this picture book is a good choice for children's collections.—Selenia Paz
MAY 2024 - AudioFile
Dion Graham's performance will delight young listeners. A boy named Lucas comes home from school with a perfect score on his robot test. At home, however, life is not perfect--his dad's truck breaks down, orange juice is spilled on the floor, his mom works long hours, and the lights get cut off. That night, he dreams about a perfect place where perfect people live. But the place then turns out to be less than perfect. Graham beautifully breathes new life into de la Peña's story; his pacing works well for a tender bedtime tale. Through Graham's nimble and gentle narration young listeners will be transported to imperfectly perfect places in their dreams. P.P.C. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine