Author:
Chris K. Soentpiet
Illustrator:
Chris K. Soentpiet
Gr PreK-2/Ages 4+
32 pages/picture book
9″ X 11½”
ISBN #0-688-04572-3
$16.99 US
$25.99 CAN
Around Town
What can you do on a summer Saturday in the city? Just about anything! Take in a puppet show or marvel at jugglers. Have your face painted, or even your portrait. Hear a brass band on one corner and a flute on the next. Acrobats, artists, cobblers, and clowns-all of them there right on the street, without ever stepping inside a door. This joyful celebration of city life will make even the most devoted suburbanite eager to take a trip to town!
MY THOUGHTS ON “AROUND TOWN”:
“Around Town” is my first picture book and I am grateful to my editor, Susan Pearson who encouraged me to not only paint but also to write this story.
I grew up in Oregon surrounded by trees and roads that ran as straight as a slide rule; flat, parched prairie; no scenery to hang the eye on. Only sky, and an occasional tourist sign. When I first arrived to New York City on a scholarship to attend Pratt Institute, I was in awe of all the tall buildings, the fast pace of the city and its noisy pleasure. I wanted to document this new experience into my first and most special book. – Chris Soentpiet
Book Reviews:
“Lively, double-page spread realistic paintings, splashed with sunlight and color and filed with all kinds of people in myriad activities, celebrate life in the city… Soentpiet’s first picture book captures both the diversity and community of city life.” – ALA Booklist
“This vibrant, exuberant tour of New York City, illustrated in colorful, detailed watercolors will delight children. This book could also be used as a social-studies supplement. A lighthearted positive view of life in an urban environment.” – School Library Journal
“A fine debut; an illustrator to watch.” – Kirkus Reviews
