The Day Ray Got Away

by Angela Johnson, Luke LaMarca (Illustrator)

Overview

Ray is a parade balloon who longs to float far above the crowd, no strings attached. It’s his dream to fly on his own, though circumstances always seem to tie him down. But Ray is determined to achieve his goal, and with persistence and determination he manages to break free and soar through the skies. Readers will cheer for Ray’s triumph and delight in the joyful parade scenes—you’ll never look at a parade balloon the same way again!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780689873751
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	09/07/2010
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD610L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Angela Johnson has won three Coretta Scott King Awards, one each for her novels The First Part Last, Heaven, and Toning the Sweep. The First Part Last was also the recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award. She is also the author of the novels Looking for Red and A Certain October. Her books for younger readers include the Coretta Scott King Honor Book When I Am Old with You, illustrated by David Soman; Wind Flyers and I Dream of Trains, both illustrated by Loren Long; and Lottie Paris Lives Here and its sequel Lottie Paris and the Best Place, both illustrated by Scott M. Fischer. Additional picture books include A Sweet Smell of Roses, Just Like Josh Gibson, The Day Ray Got Away, and All Different Now. In recognition of her outstanding talent, Angela was named a 2003 MacArthur Fellow. She lives in Kent, Ohio. Visit her at AJohnsonAuthor.com.

Luke LaMarca is an illustrator. His first book was The Curious Demise of the Contrary Cat by Lynne Berry. He lives in Maryland.

Editorial Reviews

When a yellow parade balloon announces, "This is the day," the other balloons call him a dreamer. A pointy sun balloon with a wide, toothy smile, Ray breaks free of his ropes during a parade, floating up to the moon and leaving chaos in his wake. Johnson (Wind Flyers) adds welcome bits of droll humor to this unlikely story of following one's dreams. When the warehouse door opens, "the other balloons held their breaths. (What else were they gonna do?)" Although one of the balloon handlers mentions, "We were due for a balloon uprising," Johnson never explicitly states why "a balloon like Ray, who had been good for years," wants to escape. Yet it's abundantly clear that, even for someone filled with helium, true freedom is irresistible. In celebratory acrylic paintings, LaMarca (The Curious Demise of a Contrary Cat) imbues the balloons with appropriately buoyant character--from muscly, rotund superheroes who are always flexing their muscles to a spunky "new kid" airplane, whose wink and smile to readers at the end of the book suggest he's learned a thing or two from Ray. Ages 5–up. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

PreS-K—Sure, humans love balloon parades, but what about the balloons themselves? Do they ever tire of being inflated and marched down the streets? Apparently, some do. In this lighthearted story, the fateful morning begins when Ray wakes up with a smile (he always does) and announces to his fellow balloons, "Today is the day." The parade begins the same as usual, until Ray makes his break and havoc ensues. Cheerful acrylic cartoon illustrations elevate the understated story, adding foreshadowing, drama, and much humor. The balloons stay obediently within the page frames until Ray makes his big escape. At that point, all the balloons break through the borders, although only Ray is independently airborne. Readers see bits of him, but his identity is not fully revealed until midway through the book, when his smiling face hovers over the silhouettes of panicked parade viewers on an apartment roof. The text employs internal rhyme and a healthy dose of puns, resisting the temptation of an overt rhyme scheme. This is a solid choice for sharing with children, especially those who love balloon parades and those rebellious spirits who long to break free.—Suzanne Myers Harold, Multnomah County Library System, Portland, OR

School Library Journal

A huge yellow parade balloon manages to slip his tether and elude his handlers. Seen partially, big grin in place, Ray's sunny yellow roundness peeks through windows, at the edges of the frames and from behind buildings. Bright colors and cartoon illustration add to a feeling of celebration and wildly cheerful chaos as the parade is interrupted by Ray's unexpected escape. "It was rare for a balloon like Ray, / who had been good for years, / to decide that 'today was the day.' " Johnson's lyrically reportorial, enigmatic text offers no answers, just a slyly subversive account of the shenanigans. "That day the parade was a disaster: / clowns everywhere, / bands backed up downtown, / ... / paper flowers as far as the eye could see, / ... and Ray, / shining bright, smiling (he always did)." There's plenty to talk about: What kind of balloon is Ray? What is going to happen? Some may wish for a back story—or to know what happens to Ray as he continues sedately skyward—but small listeners who occasionally tire of holding hands every time they go out may find Ray's boldness thrilling and poetically liberating. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews