Book Cover
Justification
I chose Thank you, Omu! to represent the Coretta Scott King winner book category for this blog. It has been recognized for excellence in its illustrations as well as the story itself. It was named the Caldecott Medal winner for 2019 for its illustrations as well as the Coretta Scott King Stephoe award for best new illustrator. Additionally, it was recognized by Publishers Weekly as one of the best books of the year for children in 2018 and received the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award. A closer look reveals what all the fuss is about.
Evaluation
The first thing that strikes you when you read Thank you, Omu! is the theme of the book. At its core, this book is all about the power of sharing, fellowship with others, and gratitude. Thank you, Omu! practically exudes warmth; just like the stew in Omu’s kitchen. We meet Omu as she is preparing a delicious stew for herself, but the aroma carries throughout the town and she has several visitors who want to share in her feast. She graciously offers each person a portion of her stew and welcomes them into her home. Omu exudes kindness and clearly has a sharing spirit. When she finds there is no more stew for her to enjoy for her own dinner, she is disheartened. However, each visitor returns to provide their own dishes to repay her kindness. The theme of the book shows the power of giving, even if it means giving everything. It also speaks to the power of hospitality and building a community with others.
The next thing that struck me about this book was the illustrations. With a slew of awards recognizing the artwork, it has obviously made an impact on the literary community. The illustrations are bright and colorful, reflecting the cheerful mood of the book. The illustrations also bring the stew to life. What would ordinarily be a non-visual element, is featured prominently in the illustrations on each page. It accompanies the text to show the way that the smell of the stew is moving the story along. The layering techniques of the illustrations provide a texture and richness to the spread. Though the illustrations are flat, the layering effect creates movement on the pages.
Finally, the use of precise vocabulary by Oge Mora transports us as readers to First and Long Street to Omu’s apartment. Throughout the story, Mora uses adjectives that are tier two vocabulary words for many young readers. In the context of the story, readers learn new words they may have never heard before. This exposure to new vocabulary is crucial in early readers. “As the thick red stew simmered on the stove, its scrumptious scent wafted out the window and out the door, down the hall, toward the street, and around the block, until-KNOCK!” (Mora, 2018, p. 5). Mora’s words create a vivid picture in our mind. She draws on each of our senses with her writing and illustrations. We can also smell the stew ourselves, hear the knock on the door, see the bubbles in the stew. Her writing throughout the narrative is transportive.
Response
(A) Like Omu, I love to cook and to share my cooking. It’s such a joy for me to share something I made with others. There is something that is so powerful to me about preparing a meal for someone. It’s deeply personal and you are helping to meet a basic need while showing warmth and kindness. Hospitality is very important to me. Sharing a meal together can unite a diverse group of people in a unique way.
(D) This book shows the power of sharing a meal with others. It shows how it can bring people from all walks of life, ages, professions, genders, and races together. In an age of extreme individualism, the story provides a different perspective. It exemplifies the joy that can be found in community. Specifically, living in community with your neighbors. It also highlights a spirit of gratitude. Both Omu and the neighbors are deeply grateful for the hospitality that is shown to them. We could all stand to take a page out of this book and show more gratitude to one another.
(E) Mora’s writing is expertly crafted. She writes to engage our senses. Writing in this way, we are carried along and dropped in the center of the narrative. We can almost smell the stew, hear the laughter, and feel the warmth of the neighbors around us. Thank you, Omu! is only Mora’s first book. I cannot wait to look for other titles by her in the future.
Conclusion
I adored this book. I wished I could actually go and be a part of this meal with Omu and her neighbors. This shows the transportive power of writing. Even though it was a short picture book, Mora made me fall in love with Omu and her generous spirit. This is the best kind of book, the kind that leaves you a little sad to say goodbye to the characters. I would highly recommend this book to readers young and old.
APA Citation
Mora, O. (2018). Thank you, Omu! New York: Little, Brown and Company.
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