Book Description
for Sam and Jump by Jennifer K. Mann
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Sam’s best friend is Jump, a small stuffed rabbit. Sam and Jump do everything together. On a trip to the beach, Sam and Jump meet Thomas. The two boys have a wonderful day playing in the sand and water. But in the car going home, Sam realizes he left Jump behind. It’s an awful night. “Sam could not eat his dinner. Even a bedtime story didn’t help.” His thoughts are filled with scenes of Jump in peril. The next day Sam heads to the beach right away. No Jump. But here comes Thomas. And who does he have with him? A child’s deep emotional attachment to a stuffed toy is at the heart of this masterful picture book that also celebrates friendship. The perfectly spare text is paired with equally spare yet emotionally resonant illustrations. Joy, tension, heartbreak, relief, and joy once again. Sam is a white child and Thomas is brown-skinned. (Ages 3–6)
CCBC Choices 2017. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2017. Used with permission.