Helaine Becker has written over 40 books, including the
best-selling A Porcupine in a Pine Tree, Looney Bay All-Stars
series, non-fiction including Magic Up Your Sleeve, Secret Agent
Y.O.U., and Boredom Blasters, plus many
picture books and young adult novels. She also writes for
children's magazines and for television. She has been nominated for
the Silver Birch Award four times and is the winner of two. Helaine
Becker holds U.S. and Canadian citizenship. She attended high
school in New York and now lives in Toronto.
Ron Lightburn is a Governor General's Award-winning artist who has
illustrated many best-selling picture books. His work has appeared
on the covers of over sixty books and is part of the permanent
collections of Library and Archives Canada, the Osborne Collection
of Early Children's Books, and the Merril Collection of Science
Fiction, Speculation, and Fantasy. Ron Lightburn lives in the
Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia.
“…Becker’s simple rhyme plays with opposites and is just right for
clapping and bouncing along. Lightburn’s lively illustrations
perfectly capture the joy of the nighttime escapade and extend the
story. The boy and cat are set against backgrounds of diagonal
streaks of cool colors that aptly convey movement and a sense of
fantasy. This is a good choice for reading aloud to an active group
of youngsters.”
— School Library Journal
“Toronto author Helaine Becker draws on catchy Nigerian “juba”
rhythms for her latest picture book…. Based on one of the most
popular juba songs, Becker’s verses have an open-ended quality that
urges movement and participation, and encourages readers to fit
their own words into the driving beat. Lots of repetition and
strong verbal rhythms are used to present concepts like in/out,
big/small, near/far, and left/right, which are reinforced by the
accompanying artwork of Governor General’s Literary Award-winning
illustrator Ron Lightburn. Vivid against the shaded blues and
greens of the background, a young boy in red pyjamas and his yellow
cat dash off on a fantastic midnight adventure to a fairground,
exploring the concepts with their actions…. The book is full of
motion….”
—Quill & Quire
“…Becker, a Toronto author, capitalizes on the traditional rhyme’s
natural beat, but also adds concepts like opposites and
prepositions to the lively text…. [Ron Lightburn’s…] work infuses
the night with motion, colour and excitement that perfectly
complement Juba’s magical adventure.”
—The Chronicle Herald
“…The brightly coloured illustrations are vibrant and evocative of
a dream-like experience. The young boy and his mysterious cat are
connected by colour since the boy has a yellow collar and cuffs on
his red pajamas, and the cat's fur is yellow. The fairground is
bursting with colour with yellow and blue fireworks exploding
overhead, purple and green curtains in the House of Mirrors,
multi-coloured toys as prizes and swirling bluish shapes on the
roller coaster. The fun-filled fair is a delight for the eyes of
readers as well as the intrepid pair. Juba This, Juba That could
definitely be used as a read-aloud for children at home and with
students in primary classrooms. Becker's story will inspire
discussion about issues as far ranging as dreams, rhythm, rhyme,
opposites, fairs, dancing, mirrors, roller coasters and
friendship.”
—Recommended, CM Magazine
“…Becker also has fun with the use of opposites and prepositions,
and children can easily be encouraged to come up with their own
rhymes to fit the pattern. Lightburn's illustrations are wonderful,
rich and spirited, abounding in mystery and magic. This is a fun
and engaging book that is a delight to share with others.”
— Canadian Children’s Book Centre
“…The author chooses word opposites to set the tone for her
interpretation of this traditional rhyming game. Children will soon
be reading along and wanting to add their own two line verses. Your
toes will be tapping and your head nodding as you share it with
little ones. Ron Lightburn uses a palette of primary colors to
bring light and life to the lively verses. His cool blues and
gentle moonlight create a dreamy mood as the two make their
way to the much brighter lights of the carnival itself….”
—Sal’s Fiction Addiction
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