A 2016 Hit

A boy with big dreams and the name of a lifetime...

Thunder Boy Jr.

Written by the National Book Award-winner Sherman Alexie and illustrated by the Caldecott Honor-winner Yuyi Morales, this book creates a connection between the father and son that is so special and inspiring. The illustrations, scanned from the remains of an antique house, are filled with enlarged images and collages, as well as bright colors and textures that keep the story interesting. The speech bubbles that appear on each page coming from different characters make the story more interactive. Also, the portrayal of the Native Americans is so subtle that any child can relate to the story, while also learning more about their culture. This children’s book is recommended for ages 3-8 years old.

Here’s a little more about the story:

A young Native American boy was given the name Thunder Boy Smith Jr., after his dad, who is Thunder Boy Smith Sr.. But Thunder Boy Jr. does not like his name because it is not normal, and since people call his dad Big Thunder, he is naturally stuck with being Little Thunder. Poor Thunder Boy Jr. hates his name, and wants his own that celebrates his achievements such as “Touch The Clouds” or “Gravity’s Best Friend”. He is afraid to tell his dad that he wants his own name, but to his surprise, his dad decides to give him one. He lives up to his new name still accompanying his dad in the sky, but instead of making noise, he is the one to light it up.

Below is the link if you’re interested in purchasing this book:

Thunder Boy Jr.

Stay tuned next week for another children’s book must-have going all the way back to 1992 with #ABC’sChildren’sReads