Bea Jackson

When the dark clouds finally clear the sky, the absolute perfect day for play begins. From the moment the sun rises until it dips below the horizon, there is an endless world of joy waiting to be discovered. You can almost taste the sweet and tangy fresh fruit and feel the rhythm of jump ropes hitting the pavement as friends gather to leap and dance. The afternoon brings the cool relief of the swimming pool and the mouthwatering smells of a family cookout gathered beneath the shade of a large tree. And nothing quite compares to the distant, familiar chime of the neighborhood ice cream truck. In this beautiful exploration of a single summer day, you will be transported to a place of pure sunshine, wonder, and deep connection. It is a heartfelt reminder of the simple joys of friendship, family, and those fleeting magical moments you wish could last forever.

During a trip to the museum a young girl is inspired by a portrait of Michelle Obama. (Ages 4 to 8)

--- Added from Google Books ---

A New York Times bestseller! A visit to Washington, DC’s National Portrait Gallery forever alters Parker Curry’s young life when she views First Lady Michelle Obama’s portrait. When Parker Curry came face-to-face with Amy Sherald’s transcendent portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama at the National Portrait Gallery, she didn’t just see the First Lady of the United States. She saw a queen—one with dynamic self-assurance, regality, beauty, and truth who captured this young girl’s imagination. When a nearby museum-goer snapped a photo of a mesmerized Parker, it became an internet sensation. Inspired by this visit, Parker, and her mother, Jessica Curry, tell the story of a young girl and her family, whose trip to a museum becomes an extraordinary moment, in a moving picture book. Parker Looks Up follows Parker, along with her baby sister and her mother, and her best friend Gia and Gia’s mother, as they walk the halls of a museum, seeing paintings of everyone and everything from George Washington Carver to Frida Kahlo, exotic flowers to graceful ballerinas. Then, Parker walks by Sherald’s portrait of Michelle Obama…and almost passes it. But she stops...and looks up! Parker saw the possibility and promise, the hopes and dreams of herself in this powerful painting of Michelle Obama. An everyday moment became an extraordinary one…that continues to resonate its power, inspiration, and indelible impact. Because, as Jessica Curry said, “anything is possible regardless of race, class, or gender.” **FOREWORD BY ARTIST AMY SHERALD**