  | Jemmy Button Author: Barzelay, Alix | |
| Price: $6.50 | ||
Summary:
The true story of Jemmy Button, a native of Tierra del Fuego, brought to England in the mid-1800s to be "educated and civilized."
| Illustrator: | Uman, Jennifer |
| Vidali, Valerio |
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 4.40 Points: .5 Quiz: 157881 |
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (02/15/13)
School Library Journal (03/01/13)
Booklist (03/15/13)
Full Text Reviews:
School Library Journal - 03/01/2013 Gr 1–3—This picture book is based on the true story of Orundellico, a boy from Tierra del Fuego who was taken to Victorian England by a British sea captain. The captain gave the child's family a mother-of-pearl button in exchange for him, hence his nickname, "Jemmy Button." The boy experienced the music, food, and education of England, but realized where he belonged when he returned home. These historical details are related via an endnote, but the story itself wisely focuses on the emotions and sensory experiences of Orundellico's journey. From the cover where he peeks out through lush greenery, to the vast visions of the night sky over the island, illustrations of Orundellico's home pop with color. The scenes in England, in contrast, feature muted tones, with people who appear only as silhouettes, emphasizing the boy's sense of displacement. This treatment brings the story home for young readers and provides an excellent discussion-starter.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD - Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 03/15/2013 At the beginning of this title, a boy sits on the highest branch of a jungle, gazing up at the moon in a cloudless sky. Close to the end, the boy sits atop the highest roof in the city, gazing at a sky clogged with thick clouds that resemble a choking smog. These evocative bookends deepen the nuance of a tale inspired by the true story of Orundellico, a boy traded for a button and taken from his home in Tierra del Fuego in the early nineteenth century. Delivered to Victorian England, he became a celebrity in demand by no less than the royal family before his eventual return to his homeland. Sparing most of these details, which are explained in two short appended paragraphs, the story is told in an ingenuous style that is powerfully enhanced by the impressionistic art, replete with obscured adult figures and a melancholy tone. An unusual read-aloud is also a complex, unique offering for independent readers. - Copyright 2013 Booklist.
