Southwest Sunrise
Southwest Sunrise
4.9/7
Bookroo
4.1/5
Goodreads

Southwest Sunrise

Written by Nikki Grimes & illustrated by Wendell Minor
Hardcover
$18.99
$17.97
3 - 6
Reading age
40
Page count
15
Words per page
~561L
Lexile measure
May 5, 2020
Publication date

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What Does Bookroo Think of This Book

Impressive text beautifully describes a boy’s transition from New York City to New Mexico.

Jayden pouts on the plain as he makes the trip from New York City to his new home in New Mexico, unexcited for the lack of skyscrapers and the dull tans and browns awaiting him. But when Jayden wakes up the next morning to “a knife of sunlight slicing through” his new room, he is surprised to see out his “barless” bedroom window a colorful landscape “striped in rainbow.” Venturing outside with the field guide Mom gave him at breakfast, who knows that her city-raised son is still quite knowledgeable about nature, Jayden smiles as he unexpectedly discovers colorful flowers, unfamiliar animals, and wide-open skies that leave him feeling like he could “think about calling this place Home.” Minor’s gouache watercolor illustrations fittingly display the desert setting and highlight Jayden’s comparisons of New Mexico to his previous home in the city. The most impressive aspect of the book is Grimes’ stunning and poetic diction—magpies “sail on air and write across the sky with the long black tips of their tails.” The text beautifully encompasses reservations about moving and the joys of new discoveries, elevating an unoriginal topic to a unique and enjoyable story.

What Kind of Book is Southwest Sunrise

Topics

transitionsmovingnatureNew Mexicosocial themesnew experiencesfeelings and emotionscolorsthe environmentscience and natureculture

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Race, Ethnicities, & Nationalities

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The Creatives Behind the Book

What Has Nikki Grimes Said About This Book

Nothing yet! Let Nikki Grimes know that you want to hear from them about their book.

What Has Wendell Minor Said About This Book

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Book Details

ISBN
9781547600823
Publication Date
May 5, 2020
Publisher
Bloomsbury USA
Text Details
Typeset in Mrs Eaves.
Illustration Details
Art created with gouache watercolor on Strathmore 500 Bristol Paper.
Page Count
40
Words Per Page
15
Audience
Picture
Reading Age
3 - 6 years
Lib. of Congress (LCCN)
2019044637
WorldCat Number (OCLC)
1123180647
Est. Lexile® Level
~561L
Est. Fountas & Pinnell Level
~N
ATOS® Book Level
3.7
Accelerated Reader® Points
0.5
Accelerated Reader Quiz
512070
Accelerated Reader Interest Level
LG

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Core Score - 95%

So, SO close to perfection!

Depth Score - 21%

Just the barebones.

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