Bad Bye, Good Bye

Starred review from February 10, 2014
It seems like there’s no good to be found in moving away and leaving friends behind: “Bad truck/ Bad guy/ Bad wave/ Bad bye.” But as a family makes their way across the country, a sense of adventure kicks in, “bad” is gradually supplanted by the possibilities of a “New town/ New park/ New street/ New bark,” which in turn hold the promise of life being “good” again. Underwood’s (The Quiet Book) ultra-succinct verse hits all the emotional marks that go along with a big transition. Bean (Building Our House), meanwhile, seems to take the topic to heart by moving in a new direction himself. He does wonderful things with light, starting with a gloomy rain scene and ending with soft, welcoming twilight. His colors—especially his reds—are gorgeously saturated, and often have a cellophane-like translucency. And his line is more geometric than before and lends the characters a look reminiscent of 1960s animation (maybe that’s why Dad uses a paper map instead of GPS to navigate). Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Anna Webman, Curtis Brown.

March 1, 2014
Underwood explores the range of emotions a child moving to a new place may feel with a spare, rhyming text that creates a framework for Bean's evocative illustrations. An overbearing gray pall pulls readers into a young boy's world of frustration, anger and hurt over moving. Pencil drawings with graphically stylized flat areas of color give detail to the four words of text per spread. "Bad mop / Bad blocks // Bad truck / Bad guy" (this last is the man loading the family's belongings into the van). A car chugs through a changing landscape as the boy throws a tantrum, sleeps, brightens and hesitates. Bean effectively layers tones and imagery to depict the passage of time and bring forth the immediacy of a situation. As the boy enters his new house at night, there's sensory overload, with light, shadows and the unfamiliar, creating an unsettling feel. But all ends well when a new acquaintance becomes a friend. Not every family or child may experience such negative emotions, but Underwood and Bean offer a potential tool for teaching empathy toward others who have made such a transition. This is a useful depiction of a family's physical move, but the strength is in the emotional journey that's expressed with a raw honesty. (Picture book. 4-8)

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March 1, 2014

PreS-Gr 1-A little boy is unhappy about a move to a new town, and as the family drives away from their familiar neighborhood, everyone in the car shares his sorrow. Slowly, the child's spirits lift, and he realizes that the new house may actually become a home. Concisely chosen, two-word phrases accompany the atmospheric illustrations, which aptly portray the youngster's changing emotions and tell the complete story. Drawn in ink with Prismacolor Tone, the collagelike pictures first show the boy and his dog struggling to prevent the movers from taking their possessions. The scenes of the family sadly waving good-bye to neighbors are shadowy and gray with overcast skies and a torrential downpour. Gradually the mood and palette brighten. At dusk, they drive into their new town. The movers unload the truck, and the boy explores his new room, spotting a friendly kid through the window. The new pals spend the evening catching fireflies and happily wave to each other as their mothers call them in for the night ("Good friend/Good bye"). Pair this engaging story about the uncertainties of moving with Phillis Gershator's Old House, New House (Marshall Cavendish, 2009).-Linda L. Walkins, Saint Joseph Preparatory High School, Boston, MA

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 1, 2014
Preschool-G *Starred Review* Told from a child's visceral, emotional perspective, this picture book depicts a family's long-distance move. Bad day / Bad box / Bad mop / Bad blocks / Bad truck / Bad guy / Bad wave / Bad bye. So begins Underwood's simple, understated text, which combines with Bean's expressive ink and watercolors. A boy sporting a red-striped shirt actively resists as movers (depicted only from the waist down) load boxes and belongings in the pouring rain. The stressed-out family drives off in their overstuffed car, but gradually the sun comes out and life begins to look better. After a refreshing night at a motel ( Blue pool / Loud ice ), they finally arrive at their reassuring destination: New kid / Good throw / New bugs / Good glow / Good tree / Good sky / Good friend / Good bye. Bean's artwork is a delight, fleshing out the story's outlines with interesting details that encourage further conversation. Stresses are realistically depicted, but there's never much doubt that this resilient family will adjust. Perfect for story hours or one-on-one sharing. Pair with Laurel Croza's I Know Here (2010) or Judith Viorst's Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move (1995).(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2014
An upset little boy sees nothing good about his family's move: "Bad truck / Bad guy / Bad wave / Bad bye." But the journey to and exploration of his new house are full of good experiences, including making a friend. Bean's dynamic ink and Prismacolor-tone illustrations creatively highlight the passage of time, and Underwood's simple rhymes skillfully address common emotions about moving.

(Copyright 2014 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)