Jake at Gymnastics - Hardcover

Rachel Isadora (www.rachelisadora.com) received a Caldecott Honor for Ben’s Trumpet, and has written and illustrated numerous other books for children, including Bea at Ballet, Peekaboo Morning, the Lili at Ballet series, Say Hello! and several classic tales set in Africa (Old Mikamba Had a Farm, There Was a Tree, 12 Days of Christmas, The Night Before Christmas, The Ugly Duckling, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, The Fisherman and His Wife, The Twelve Dancing Princesses and The Princess and the Pea). She lives in New York City.

“Veteran author and illustrator Isadora creates another collection of charming vignettes of a delightfully diverse group of preschoolers. . . . These kids are clearly having a lot of fun. . . . The chubby kids’ refreshingly natural postures and body language set this book apart from renderings of more conventionally pretty children, allowing young gymnasts of all ability levels to identify. . . . Beginning readers will be attracted to the simple text, especially to the single-word exclamations in brightly colored speech bubbles. Readers will no doubt want to get down on the floor and do some gymnastics of their own.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Like the author’s Bea at Ballet, this alliteratively titled picture book is a gentle introduction to a preschool activity. . . . In the all-around welcoming environment Isadora presents, children are happy and well cared for and are eased into a gym routine with stretches and creative play. The kids are adorably round and smiley. . . . They encourage each other, which may not be completely accurate in terms of toddler behavior but certainly isn’t a bad model to represent. Isadora’s appealing illustrations feature a multicultural group dressed brightly against a minimalist background.” — Booklist

“The real joy comes through Isadora’s sprightly illustrations. . . . Few other picture book artists have as good an understanding of the toddler’s center of gravity as Isadora, and when she uses her expertise to show them hopping, tumbling, balancing, and pretending to fly like birds, you can’t help but enjoy the show. Best of all is the page of young gymnasts on the bouncing balls. Each one appears to be enjoying his or her own moment of zen—a bit of private happiness in the midst of a busy class.” — The Horn Book