CANNONBALL

Doing an amazing cannonball is a source of pride in this community. The narrator, a brown-skinned child, has been studying cannonballs and learning from Nan. But once at the edge of the diving board, the will to jump fizzles. A little chant helps. Advice from all the onlookers only weighs this jumper down. When someone tells the learner “cannonballs aren’t for you,” Nan offers other advice: “Listen to your heart, to your mind….Do it your way.” When the child listens to what’s inside, a whole new world of self-expression opens up. All dressed up with flowers, feathers, and face paint, the aspiring diver shouts out loud instead of whispering the chant, then, over two spreads, flies and rolls through the air before landing with a big splash—and an appropriate celebration for the accomplishment. This distinctive story of summer fun and growth, set within a culture underrepresented on North American shelves, carries a universal message of listening to one’s own heart and being oneself when the world tries to tell you how and who to be. Morgan, who is of Maori descent, uses bright colors and creative layouts on white space and dark backgrounds to trace the child’s journey from student to star.

Thanks for reading.
Please Share, Comment, Like the post And Follow, Subscribe CTS Store.

fromSource