Book Description
for Johnny's Pheasant by Cheryl Minnema and Julie Flett
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
On their way home from the market, Johnny and his grandma find “a small feathery hump” near the ditch. It’s a pheasant. Grandma guesses it was hit by a car, but Johnny is certain it’s only sleeping. “Hoot! Hoot!” Johnny calls as they put its still, still-warm body in the trunk of their car. “Hoot! Hoot! Hoot!” he calls when they get home. This gorgeous, graceful story about a Native family, written by an Ojibwe author and illustrated by a Cree-Métis artist, is both satisfying and surprising. The drama and wonder unfold in a spare, beautifully crafted text. The perfectly paced narrative is full of humor, warmth, and a deeply child-affirming sensibility. “Hoot Hoot!” Winner, 2020 Charlotte Zolotow Award (Ages 3–7)
CCBC Choices 2020. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2020. Used with permission.