Come With Me
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- USD 5.99
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- USD 5.99
Publisher Description
“Together, the words and pictures work seamlessly to deliver a powerful message: What we do matters.”—R. J. Palacio, The New York Times
When the news reports are flooded with tales of hatred and fear, a girl asks her papa what she can do to make the world a better place. “Come with me,” he says. Hand-in-hand, they walk to the subway, tipping their hats to those they meet. The next day, the girl asks her mama what she can do—her mama says, “Come with me,” and together they set out for the grocery, because one person doesn’t represent an entire race or the people of a land. After dinner that night, the little girl asks if she can do something of her own—walk the dog . . . and her parents let her go. “Come with me,” the girl tells the boy across the hall. Walking together, one step at a time, the girl and the boy begin to see that as small and insignificant as their part may seem, it matters to the world.
In this lyrical and timely story, author Holly M. McGhee and illustrator Pascal Lemaître champion the power of kindness, bravery, and friendship in the face of uncertainty.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In the wake of so much news about "anger and hatred / People against people," a girl asks her parents what she can do to help the world. "Come with me," each tells her, a simple phrase that McGhee (Matylda, Bright and Tender) transforms into an emotionally rich proclamation about not giving into fear. When the girl and her father ride the subway, a tense mood prevails; commuters are giving each other anxious glances. But the two tip their hats in greeting to their fellow passengers and know that their ride has "won a tiny battle/ over fear." Next, the girl and her mother make a point of shopping at the grocery store in their multicultural neighborhood, "because one person/ doesn't represent a family/ or a race/ or the people of a land." By the final page, the girl feels reassured enough to extend the title's invitation to readers. Lema tre's (You Are the Pea, and I Am the Carrot) ink-and-watercolor cartoons resonate with a sweet plaintiveness, and while the brief text can sometimes turn overly earnest, it feels like an important first step. Ages 5 8.
