Carmen Bogan

I enjoyed this book for 2 main reasons. Firstly, Rodney, the main character, is very relatable to a lot of students. I think high-energy students can connect to the way that he gets reprimanded by his teacher. When he plays during class and has trouble paying attention, his teacher tells him "Sit down, Rodney!" Secondly, I think this story has great diversity. The story takes place at a school in a seemingly low-income area where the students go somewhere they have never been before: the park! The students are Black, Asian, and of other ethnicity. The big idea of this story is that things are not always what you expect!… (more)

A somewhat hyperactive boy who was always acting up a bit in class, and who longed to be outside, Rodney didn't have many chances to explore. If he was not in school, his Momma wanted him home and safe, far away from the small, scraggly city park near his home. Then his class went on a field trip to a national park - one assumes Yosemite, given the publication information here - and he discovered just how majestic the outdoors could be...

Published by Yosemite National Park's Yosemite Conservancy, Where's Rodney? pairs an engaging, well-written narrative from author Carmen Bogan with luminous illustrations by Floyd Cooper. Although this is my first title from Ms. Bogan, I am very familiar with Cooper's lovely work, and was even fortunate enough to see a demonstration of his method once, at an event. I appreciated the messages implicit in this story - the importance of getting out into the wild; the idea that energetic children need an outlet for their energy, and should be handled with patience, as Rodney's teacher does - and found the conclusion quite moving. I seem to recall reading somewhere that our national parks are under-utilized by the African-American community, so it's good to see a book depicting a child from the community enjoying the beauty of one such park.… (more)