What John Marco Saw: (Children?s Self-Esteem Books, Kid?s Picture Books, Cute Children?s Stories)

by Annie Barrows, Nancy Lemon (Illustrator)

Overview

From the bestselling author Annie Barrows, What John Marco Saw is a captivating tale that celebrates the importance of slowing down.

Sometimes the smallest people have the biggest things to say: John Marco is small and everyone around him is big and busy–too busy to stop and listen. The thing is, John Marco is busy, too! He's busy noticing and exploring the world around him. Maybe everyone should slow down and pay attention to John Marco. If they do, they might witness some the incredible things John Marco sees.

• A stunning display of Barrows talent for creating stories that speak directly to young readers
• Features bright and richly illustrated pages that focus on John Marco's perspective and helps little minds connect with the story
• Annie Barrows has written many books for children, including the New York Times bestselling Ivy + Bean series—which has sold more than 5 million copies

Fans of Hungry Jim and What Can a Citizen Do? will also enjoy the charming illustrations and sweet storylines found in What John Marco Saw.

• Great family and classroom read-aloud book
• Books for kids ages 3-5
• Books for preschool and kindergarten students

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452163369
Publisher:	Chronicle Books
Publication date:	10/01/2019
Pages:	44
Product dimensions:	9.20(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD490L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Annie Barrows has written many books for children, including the New York Times bestselling Ivy + Bean series—which has sold more than 5 million copies. She lives in Northern California.

Nancy Lemon lives in Charleston, South Carolina. This is her second book.

Hometown:

Berkeley, CA

Date of Birth:

August 24, 1962

Place of Birth:

San Diego, CA

Education:

University of California at Berkeley, B.A. in Medieval History; Mills College, M.F.A. in Creative Writing

Editorial Reviews

08/12/2019

John Marco is a vivid reporter on the world around him. He’s just seen a large grasshopper with eyes “all black and bulgy,” he tells his four older siblings, “and I could hear it chew, like this, ch-ch-ch.” But because he’s little, “nobody listened,” writes Barrows (the Ivy and Bean series), making her picture book debut—not even when he sees an orange cat who “went prrr-rrup.” When a tree in his front yard begins “falling down very slowly, but it was definitely falling down,” John Marco decides that this time he is not going to be ignored. Lemon (Emma and Muse) draws the protagonist with his gap-toothed mouth wide open and arms outstretched, his T-shirt riding up to reveal his navel. The tree, meanwhile, is never shown in full-length “Timber!” mode; instead, Lemon focuses on a dense cluster of leafy branches that take over more and more of each page, and a discombobulated owl who survives the descent. It’s a magical portrayal of one of those strange and giddy moments that makes an indelible impression on one’s imagination. Best of all, it succeeds in proving that John Marco (and what he notices) is worth everyone’s attention. Ages 3–5. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

10/01/2019

PreS-Gr 2—Young John Marco notices really amazing things in his daily life but unfortunately nobody in his big, bustling family wants to hear about them. He is rebuffed by his neighbor, Mr. Jordy, when he tries to tell him about the mind-blowing things he discovered digging in the mud. He next tries to chat with his mother about a very fat orange cat in the neighborhood but his mom is way too busy multitasking to give John Marco the attention he requires. In an unexpected twist, the little chap notices that a tree in his front yard is slowly falling down so he yells for all to come see it. At first, they don't believe him and then just like that, the tree comes crashing down. The book ends with that same orange cat telling the crowd that they should pay more attention; "Like John Marco does." Lemon's full-bleed digital illustrations are colorful and expansive and lend themselves to a storytime sharing. VERDICT This is a quirky tale that many little ones will relate to. An optional purchase.—Amy Nolan, St. Joseph Public Library, MI

School Library Journal

2019-07-28
While all the older people around him are lost in their own worlds, little John Marco notices all the small—and big—things around him.

John Marco's siblings are older and louder than he is. They are interested in money, music, sports, and their smartphones but not in the things John Marco is interested in. Mr. Jordy, his neighbor, likes to sit on his porch and read the newspaper and whistle. But he too does not pay attention to John Marco. Even John Marco's mother is engrossed in the world of self-help books and finances and "doing four things at once." So when John Marco sees a grasshopper in the yard, or digs a hole and finds a bunch of worms and a rock with a white line on it, or spots a fat orange cat in the yard, nobody listens when he tries to tell them about it. It is only when he notices something really big that he finally gets their attention—though he does have to yell, "The tree in the front yard is falling down!" before this happens. The cartoon illustrations playfully convey information that goes beyond the text and cleverly zoom in when John Marco is contemplating the small things, thus amplifying his world. The family is depicted with black hair and olive skin; Mr. Jordy is black.

A sweet reminder to slow down and notice the world around us. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews