Small in the Cityis an evocative and immersive book which tells quite an ordinary story in such an extraordinary way that it surprises you. It conveys just how it feels to be small in an over-powering city. It’s understated whilst also managing to build to a moving emotional end with the themes of being lost, alone, and overlooked, taking on a much wider resonance. It’s a striking and atmospheric example of artistic storytelling skills which is almost cinematic in its depiction of a child’s view of an imposing urban landscape. In 2021, the judging panel includes 15 volunteer judges from CILIP’s Youth Libraries Group. Find out more about this year’s judges here. On the southern tip of the Greek island of Santorini sits Oia. The city attracts visitors because of its stunning surroundings and unique architecture. Most people associate Oia with its gorgeous whitewashed structures, winding streets, and breathtaking vistas of the Aegean Sea. A trip along the adjacent cliffs will allow visitors to take in the island's natural beauty as well as the town's numerous stores, cafés, and galleries. Santorini has a wide variety of things to do which also make the area a popular destination for honeymooners and couples looking for a romantic getaway. Starting without words, the book is reflective rather than particularly narrative; we are taken along for the ride in a potentially hostile environment that the child nonetheless has found his or her place in. At the end, he or she reminds us that when we’re tired of exploring, we can always go home. After all, home is a place of love and warmth, wherever it is. the images do most of the talking. They range from modest vignettes of city life–a portion of wire fencing, a swatch of building–to showstoppers including a fractured illustration of the downcast boy’s funhouse-like reflection in a mirrored-glass skyscraper. . . . heartrending.”— Shelf Awareness, Starred Review

Small in the City by Sydney Smith - LoveReading4Kids Small in the City by Sydney Smith - LoveReading4Kids

Preliminary versions and sketches for cover of Small in the City, Sydney Smith Small in the Cityis the first book that you wrote and illustrated. What did that experience tell you about how you approach your work? Does the idea for a possible story come first or do sketchbook drawings inspire a direction? Not all picture book illustrators write the story, nor do they need to. However, here is a book that essentially has a shared narrative in text and in illustration. At first it is unclear why the child, who I took to be a little boy, is travelling alone on public transport. It is a cold, dark, frightening city that he emerges into, rain lashes down, becomes sleet, becomes snow, but still the child marches on alone across traffic-heavy roads. He takes no notice of passers-by, and they ignore him. At first he appears to be about 4 years old, but is perhaps 8 or 9. Whatever, he’s a child alone.Set in an urban setting with street cars and a maze of lights, streets and sounds, this picture book skillfully captures the confusion of the city. As the child moves through the space with confidence, readers will learn more about both the kid and their city along the way. Readers at first may think that the child is homeless or running away. It takes a little while for their lost pet to be revealed to the reader. Small in the City is the first book that Sydney Smith—an acclaimed illustrator—both wrote and illustrated himself. According to this interview (well worth a listen), it’s something he’d been thinking about for 12 years—but put off due to things like self-doubt and imposter syndrome (sound familiar, anyone?).

Small in the City — Just Imagine

This is a lovely discussion book for children who have an interest in animals and the natural environment.Sydney Smith is a Canadian illustrator of children's books. He was awarded the 2015 Governor General’s Award For Illustrated Children’s Books for Sidewalk Flowers, a wordless picture book which he illustrated with author JonArno Lawson. Jason Reynolds first found inspiration in rap and began writing poetry when he was nine, He focused on poetry for the next two decades, publishing several collections before he published his first novel When I Was The Greatest in 2014. The first in his New York Times bestselling ‘Run’ series, Ghost, has sold 33,000 copies in the UK to date. He is also the author of the Marvel Comics novel Miles Morales: Spider-man (2017) and is the US National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. This is the first win for Reynolds following a shortlisting in 2019 for Long Way Down. When you read lots of picture books, as we do around here, you can get a little jaded. Some make me laugh. A few make me tear up. But rarely do I feel surprised, as in “Whoa, I didn’t see that coming.” The most important reader of a picture book has to be a child. However talented the artist, however major the award, a book only works if the child reader responds to it – better still, if they respond positively!

30 Most Charming Small Cities in the USA - Travel Magazine The 30 Most Charming Small Cities in the USA - Travel Magazine

The use of line, reflection, and perspective masterfully evoke a bustling gray city, making this thoughtful book an artful choice.”— School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW Tens of thousands of young people who shadow the Medals have also been reading and debating this year’s shortlists and have voted for their favourites to win the Shadowers’ Choice Awards. Announced today by a selection of young Shadowers, the Shadowers’ Choice for the Carnegie Medal is Run, Rebel, a debut novel by Manjeet Mann, about a girl who runs in quiet rebellion to escape an arranged marriage. The Shadowers’ Choice for the Kate Greenaway Medal is Starbird, illustrated and written by Sharon King-Chai, a mythical tale of a singing Starbird caged by a Moon King. When thinking about a city, many people often associate these areas with large geographical areas, towering skyscrapers, and busy streets filled with people and traffic. However, there are some cities around the world that defy this expectation by having relatively smaller populations. In fact, some cities are so small that they may seem more like towns or villages. The Medals celebrate outstanding achievement in children’s writing and illustration respectively and are unique in being judged by librarians. Both winning books explore urban landscapes through a child’s eyes, with Chair of Judges Ellen Krajewski describing them as ‘compelling stories told from a child’s viewpoint that deliver a powerful emotional punch.’

Nine year old Iona amd her eleven year old brother thought at first it was about a homeless or refugee girl, or perhaps a lost child. Iona said the illustrations made her feel really sad and they were just right for the story. When she was told what the story was really about she was intrigued and really interested to find the ‘clues’. She was so happy when the ‘girl and her mother’ were re-united, as she thought. Children love a happy ending! This emotionally resonant ode to the resilience of small creatures in a big, loud world is tender and timeless—and a masterful merging of art and text.” — The Horn Book, Starred Review