From School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2—Rodney has trouble being inside and sitting still at school. Though he acts like a clown in his diverse classroom, the boy is also a careful observer of his urban environment, noticing small insects and birds gliding overhead. Rodney enjoys being outside but is less than thrilled when his teacher announces that the students are going to visit a park. The African American child imagines they will be going to the nearby small, seedy green space his mother forbids him to enter. On field trip day, Rodney is surprised when the bus leaves the city, travels through the countryside, and climbs high onto a mountain. For the first time in his life, the boy really feels "outside" as he explores nature and many of its wild wonders. Rodney discovers he can change from fast to slow or loud to quiet, depending on the situation. Illustrator Cooper uses his trademark oil wash technique to reveal views of Rodney's city, then depicts the beauty of a vast mountaintop park. The small boy's world is greatly enlarged by his unexpected joyful experience. Readers are left to hope that this is just the first of many eye-opening, and perhaps life-changing, adventures for the boy. VERDICT A lovely book to share one-on-one or with a class preparing for an outing.—Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI
Review
A Junior Library Guild Selection, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book, and a CCBC Children's Choice!
From Booklist (starred review): Always more interested in what’s happening outside the school walls than in his classroom, Rodney has a reputation for goofing off. He’s not impressed to hear that the word of the week is “majestic . . . grand and beautiful,” or that his class will be visiting a park on Friday. . . . At their destination (perhaps a national park), he runs fast, climbs rocks slowly, calls loudly, watches quietly, and feels “more outside than he had ever been before.” On the ride home, he’s uncharacteristically still and silent—except for calling the park “majestic.” The well-phrased text shifts gears effectively in the field trip scenes, where brief, paired sentences focus tightly on Rodney’s experiences and let the illustrations work their magic. In a series of softly lit, beautifully shaded paintings, Cooper depicts Rodney as a likable black kid whose active curiosity and high energy find liberation in the park. Rodney’s teacher, Momma, his multicultural class, and his transcendent encounter with the natural world are subtly, expressively portrayed. A heartwarming picture book. —Carolyn Phelan, June 1, 2017
From Kirkus (starred review): Combining the amazement offered by the natural world with an unconventional and poignant dose of social commentary, this story gives more to its readers than what meets the eye.
From San Francisco Chronicle, July 30, 2017 : Here, an Oakland author writes with clear purpose about the transformative power of nature. . . where Rodney comes to understand what "majestic" really does mean. . . . Dusky, soft-focused paintings chronicle his journey of discovery (and self-discovery) with a final note that encourages kids to get out on their own or through nonprofits that promote environmental education.
From Midwest Book Review: Extraordinary, entertaining, and original, "Where's Rodney?" is very highly recommended for children ages 4 to 8, and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections.
From School Library Journal: PreS-Gr 2. The small boy's world is greatly enlarged by his unexpected joyful experience. Readers are left to hope that this is just the first of many eye-opening, and perhaps life-changing, adventures for the boy. VERDICT A lovely book to share one-on-one or with a class preparing for an outing. —Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI © Copyright 2017.
CCBC Book of the Week, July 10, 2017 : Rodney, a Black child in a diverse, contemporary classroom, is experiencing nature on a scale both grand and intimate at the center of this buoyant yet contemplative picture book with illustrations that reflect both the changing physical landscape and emotional range of the story as Rodney discovers that “outdoors” can not only be “majestic,” but peaceful, too. ©2017 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
From Publishers Weekly: In hazy scenes that glow with warmth, Cooper (Frederick Douglass: The Lion Who Wrote History) pays homage to the dramatic landscape of the unnamed park, but the focus of his images and Bogan’s understated writing is on Rodney, and how he finally has the freedom to investigate nature intimately and on his own terms. It’s a stirring reminder of the importance of access to nature, and how rare that access is for many children. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)
From Foreword Reviews : Rodney simply cannot pay attention to his teacher while an open window beckons him to go outside, in Carmen Bogan’s Where’s Rodney? A city boy unused to the great outdoors, Rodney is awed and enchanted when a field trip takes him to a majestic park where he can finally be free to explore the wonders of nature, honored through beautifully depicted scenery and expressive portraiture from Floyd Cooper, all in soothing and dreamy textured earth tones.
Review
“This exquisitely written and illustrated story allows us to journey into nature and into reverence in order to discover where and who we are. There is a little bit of Rodney in each of us really; his story helps us reclaim the healing power of nature.” Nooshin Razani, MD MPH Director, Center for Nature and Health UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland
About the Author
Carmen Bogan is the author of the picture book, Granny, Who Is God? She is a member of the Oakland Literacy Coalition and is a writing coach for children and youth. Where’s Rodney? grew out of her experience working with nonprofit organizations supporting public health through outdoor experiences for low-income children. Carmen has two daughters, Erin Danielle and Natalie Quinn, and lives in Oakland, California, with her husband, Willie.
Floyd Cooper has illustrated more than one hundred books for children. He received the Coretta Scott King Award for his illustrations in The Blacker the Berry and three Coretta Scott King Honors for his illustrations in Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea, I Have Heard of a Land, and Meet Danitra Brown. He lives in Easton, Pennsylvania, with his growing family: Velma, Kai, Dayton, Melissa, and grandson, Niko.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
"Rodney! Where is Rodney?" Once again Rodney wasn’t in his seat, and Miss Garcia had had enough. But Rodney had interesting things to do. Like watch a big black bird soar over the cafeteria that smelled like yesterday’s lunch. Or catch a tiny pill bug creeping across the windowsill. He stood on his tippy toes to find the stray dog that bullied the neighborhood. Rodney was inside, but he wanted to be outside. Outside was where Rodney always wanted to be. Miss Garcia let out a long, deep breath. She stepped behind Rodney and tapped him on the shoulder. “Rodney, join the class. The word of the week is majestic,” Miss Garcia said. “Ma-jes-tic. Can you tell us what it means?” Rodney looked around the classroom. There were a million eyes looking back. “Nope.” Miss Garcia took another deep breath. Rodney balanced on one foot like a pink flamingo. Sue Lin giggled and covered her mouth. Then he hopped into the air like a cricket. Coty chuckled. Then Rodney stretched out his arms like an eagle soaring high above the... “Sit down, Rodney!” Miss Garcia said. The whole class roared with laughter. “Okay. Majestic means grand and beautiful. Rodney, if you can’t do your work you won’t be able to go on the field trip to the park on Friday." But Rodney didn’t care. He knew all about the park. It was a small, triangle-shaped patch of yellow grass next to the corner store and the bus stop. It had one large cardboard trash can and two benches where some grownups sat all day long. Yes, Rodney knew the park well. Anyway, Momma said to stay far away from that park!
