Nikki Grimes is the recipient of the Virginia Hamilton Lifetime
Achievement Award, the ALAN Award for outstanding contributions to
young adult literature, the Children's Literature Legacy
Award, the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, and the NCTE Award for
Excellence in Poetry for Children. Her memoir, Ordinary Hazards,
received both a Sibert and a Printz Honor. Other distinguished
works include the Coretta Scott King Award winner Bronx Masquerade,
and Coretta Scott King Author Honor books Jasmin’s Notebook,
Talkin’ About Bessie, Dark Sons, Words with Wings, and The Road to
Paris. She is also the creator of the popular Meet Danitra Brown.
Ms. Grimes lives in Corona, California.
Jerry Pinkney was the author and illustrator of many books for
young readers, including the Orbis Pictus Award winner A Place to
Land and The Lion and the Mouse, for which he earned a Caldecott
Medal. He received five Caldecott Honors, five Coretta Scott King
Awards, four Coretta Scott King Honors, and five New York Times
Best Illustrated Book awards. He died in 2021.
Brian Pinkney is the son of Jerry Pinkney. He continued
illustration of A Walk in the Woods after his father passed away,
supplementing Jerry’s sketches with watercolor painting. He has
illustrated many books for children, including Duke Ellington by
his wife Andrea Pinkney, and The Faithful Friend by Robert D San
Souci, both of which received Caldecott Honors. He also received
the Coretta Scott King Book Award for In the Time of Drums by Kim
L. Siegelson. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York.
"[A] wise and heartfelt tale. . . ."— The New York Times
"Writer Nikki Grimes and illustrator Jerry Pinkney, both legends in
their own right, decided to finally collaborate on a children’s
book. . . While mourning the death of her friend and the project
that brought the two so much joy, Grimes found out, through
Pinkney’s wife, that their son Brian Pinkney, also an illustrator,
would add watercolor to his dad’s finished pencil sketches to
complete them."—Smithsonian Magazine
★ "Illustrations and narrative are warp and weft in a beautifully
crafted story of grief and triumph. Great for any children’s
collection." —School Library Journal, Starred Review
★ "A powerfully layered call to creativity and loving bonds that
endure beyond death. . . ."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
★ "Together, Grimes and the Pinkneys have produced a profoundly
stirring and thought-provoking musing on how the ones we love never
really leave us. Joy and hope walk alongside sadness and grief in
this unforgettable work."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
★ "Grimes wrote the free verse text, which tells the story
concisely, while expressing the boy’s shifting emotions
beautifully. Before his death in 2021, Jerry Pinkney finished the
detailed, engaging drawings, which reflect his love for the natural
world. Afterwards, his son Brian Pinkney was asked to add the
watercolor washes, which have a distinctive, ethereal quality that
enhances the story. An original, inspiring picture book."—Booklist,
Starred Review
★ "An exquisite story of heartbreak and hope. The collaboration
between Grimes and both Pinkneys is seamless, as if all were
completely of one mind."—BookPage, Starred Review
★ "Grimes’ lyrical, skillful text evokes the deep, painful well of
the boy’s sorrow yet manages to balance that angst with the wonder
and joy he finds along his walk, highlighting the complexity of
grief within a constantly changing natural world that relies on
both life and death to continue. . . . The artistic collaboration
is a true wonder, as Jerry’s signature thin, sketchy linework is
brought to life by Brian’s radiant, swirling watercolors, creating
a splendid mix of energy and delicacy that complements Grimes’ text
with ease."—The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books,
Starred Review
★ "Grimes captures the woods' sensory delights with precision and
lyricism. . . . To see Jerry's sketches lit by Brian's dazzling
colors and swirling lines is wondrous. This exceptional story
stands as a moving account of a Black boy finding solace in
nature--but also serves as a marvelous tribute to Jerry
Pinkney."—Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
★ "Grimes’s celebration of nature is as eloquent as her treatment
of loss is poignant. Brian Pinkney’s watercolor illustrations are
equally expressive."—The Horn Book, Starred Review
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