Illustrated by: Christian Robinson

A 2016 Caldecott Honor Book

2016 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book

A New York Times Bestseller

Copyright year: 2015

CJ-the young boy who is observant and curious.

Nana- CJ's grandmother, who is wise and loving and helps him see the beauty in the world around them.

Setting: The story takes place in a city, as CJ and his grandma rides the city bus after church, then they go to a soup kitchen. The story is not set in a specific time period, but it seems like it takes in the spring season.

Problem: CJ feels disappointed and curious about why he doesn't have things that others do-- like a nice car or fancy gadgets, and he wonders why they have to go to places like a soup kitchen.

Events/Plot:

1. CJ and Nana leave church and wait for the bus.

2. CJ complains about the rain and why they don’t have a car.

3. On the bus, Nana encourages CJ to look for beauty around them.

4. They meet different passengers who help CJ see the world differently.

5. CJ begins to appreciate the little things he notices on the ride.

6. They arrive at the last stop, the soup kitchen, where they volunteer to help others.

Solution: By the end of the story, CJ learns to see the world through his Nana's eyes that shows full of beauty, kindness, and community- and feels grateful for what he has.

Theme: The theme of the story is to have an open perspective and mindset of the world around you because the world is filled with beauty no matter where you come from or who you are.

Character Trait #1- Curious: CJ asks a lot of questions about the world around him, showing that he wants to understand why things are the way they are.

Character Trait #2- Kind-hearted: CJ wants to learn to appreciate and care for others, especially when he helps out at his community's soup kitchen with his Nana.

Character 2: CJ's Nana (the grandmother)-

Character Trait #1- Wise: CJ's Nana teaches him the important life lessons of seeing the good and beauty of the world around him, even in places that could be overlooked.

Character Trait #2- Positive: She looks on the bright side and finds joy in the simple things, like riding the bus and listening to music.

Wanted: He wanted to go straight home after church and didn't understand why he and his Nanahad to take the bus and go to the last stop.

But: He felt unhappy because they didn't have a car and he compared himself to others who have more.

So: Nana helped him see the beauty in the world and community around them- the people, music, and places they passed on the bus ride.

Then: When they arrived at the last stop, CJ went to a soup kitchen and they were helping others at a soup kitchen.

Finally: CJ realized how special their trip was and felt grateful for what they had and the chance to serve others and the beauty of the world around them.

CJ wanted to go straight home after church and didn't understand why he and his Nanahad to take the bus and go to the last stop. But, he felt unhappy because they didn't have a car and he compared himself to others who have more. So, Nana helped CJ see the beauty in the world and community around them- the people, music, and places they passed on the bus ride. Then, when they arrived at the last bus stop, CJ went to a soup kitchen and they were helping others at a soup kitchen. Finally, CJ realized how special their trip was and felt grateful for what they had and the chance to serve others and the beauty of the world around them.

Q: What does CJ see while riding the bus?

A: He sees different people and things-a man with a guitar, a guitar, and a blind man, and the city streets

Think and Search (Literal Comp.):

Q: What do CJ and Nana do that shows they care about others?

A: They help serve food at the soup kitchen and talk kindly to everyone they meet.

Author and Me (Inferential Comp.):

Q: Why do you think Nana wants CJ to ride the bus and see the city?

A: She wants him to learn and appreciate what they have and see the beauty in their surroundings.

On My Own (Evaluative Comp.):

Q: Have you ever felt like CJ- wanting something someone else had? How did you handle it?

A: (Answers will vary, but a possible student answer) "Yes, I have when my friend got a new bike. I felt jealous because I had an older bike, but I realized that I could still be happy with mine since it is in good working condition."