Someone Like Me

by Patricia MacLachlan (Author) Chris Sheban (Illustrator)

Someone Like Me
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Filled with gorgeous and thoughtful illustrations by Sheban, this semi-autobiographical picture book by the Newbery Medal-winning author of "Sarah, Plain and Tall" presents a well-crafted, unique story about how someone might grow up to be a writer. Full color.
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Hardcover
$16.99

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School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2--This autobiographical picture book follows a gentle series of experiences that led the author to be who she is, "a writer." Speaking directly to readers, she begins with, "If you were a little girl who listened to stories over and over and over." MacLachlan continues in this vein, recounting things that helped make her a writer, including constantly reading, secretly listening to adults from under the dinner table, trying to make her dog and chicken speak, and having a great-grandmother who loved the prairie earth. Sheban matches the author's recollections with graphite, watercolor, and colored pencil illustrations. He deftly makes use of white space, a muted palette, and subtle humor. The picture of MacLachlan moving her dog's lips is guaranteed to make readers smile. VERDICT Just the right amount of text paired with spot-on illustrations makes this a great book for aspiring writers or a lovely read-aloud for anyone. Sure to be popular because of the author's recognition.--Catherine Callegari, Reston Regional Library, VA

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review
Newbery Medalist MacLachlanas incantatory picture book memoir draws readers in from its first words: aIf you were a little girl/ who listened to stories/ over and over/ and over...a Using delicate shading and pale hues, Sheban (What to Do with a Box draws a girl listening as an elderly woman talks, then shows the child seated at the feet of a man in a feed cap, his arms stretched wide, as if describing a prize catch. MacLachlan journeys through her pasta a girl who read constantly, climbed trees, and tried ato teach her dog to talk by moving his lips like hersaa to see what made her the person she became, who awrites about talking dogs/ and chickens who scratch stories in the dirt.a Shebanas scenes are bathed in golden light, and his faded palette and soft textures evoke a spare upbringing: simple clothing, old cars, a worn-out suitcase. MacLachlan suggests that it isnat extensive travels or grand experiences that make a writer; all thatas needed is the willingness to watch and listen. Ages 4a 8. Authoras agent: Rubin Pfeffer, Rubin Pfeffer Content. Illustratoras agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (July) Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

Review quotes

*"MacLachlan journeys through her past—a girl who read constantly, climbed trees, and tried "to teach her dog to talk by moving his lips like hers"—to see what made her the person she became, who "writes about talking dogs/ and chickens who scratch stories in the dirt." Sheban's scenes are bathed in golden light, and his faded palette and soft textures evoke a spare upbringing: simple clothing, old cars, a worn-out suitcase."—Publsihers Weekly, starred review

*"Lovely scenes are balanced with amusing ones, giving this expressive picture book its irresistible, down-to-earth charm."—Booklist, starred review

"When does someone truly learn the gift of writing and storytelling? Newbery Medalist MacLachlan takes her trademark elegant writing to the picture-book level with this semiautobiographical charmer."—Kirkus Reviews

Patricia MacLachlan

Patricia MacLachlan (1938-2022) was the award-winning author of many novels for children, including the Newbery Medal and Scott O'Dell Award-winning Sarah, Plain and Tall, which was adapted into a Hallmark television movie starring Glenn Close and Christopher Walken. She co-wrote the teleplay for the film as well as for two sequels, Skylark and Sarah, Plain and Tall: Winter's End, based on her novels.

Honored with a Christopher Award and a National Humanities Medal among many others, MacLachlan was also the author of Baby, Waiting for the Magic, The Truth of Me, and the picture books Someone Like Me (illustrated by Chris Sheban), and The Iridescence of Birds: A Book About Henri Matisse (illustrated by Hadley Hooper).

Chris Sheban has been awarded three gold and three silver medals from the Society of Illustrators. Some of the books he has illustrated are I Met a Dinosaur by Jan Wahl, Catching the Moon by Myla Goldberg, and What To Do With a Box by Jane Yolen. Someone Like Me is his first book with Roaring Brook Press.

Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781626723344
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Roaring Brook Press
Publication date
July 20, 2017
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF007030 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Literary
JNF029010 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Language Arts | Composition & Creative Writing
Library of Congress categories
Childhood and youth
Authorship
JUVENILE NONFICTION
Language Arts
Literary
Biography & Autobiography
MacLachlan, Patricia
Composition & Creative Writing

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