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Pleasant Valley Elementary LibGuide

Jabari jumps

Read by: Sheryl Lee Ralph
  • Written by: Gaia Cornwall
  • Illustrated by: Gaia Cornwall
  • Published by: Candlewick Press
  • Read by: Sheryl Lee Ralph
  • Suggested grade level: 1st - 3rd
  • Run time: 8 minutes

Working up the courage to take a big, important leap is hard, but Jabari is almost absolutely ready to make a giant splash.

Jabari is definitely ready to jump off the diving board. He’s finished his swimming lessons and passed his swim test, and he’s a great jumper, so he’s not scared at all. “Looks easy,” says Jabari, watching the other kids take their turns. But when his dad squeezes his hand, Jabari squeezes back. He needs to figure out what kind of special jump to do anyway, and he should probably do some stretches before climbing up onto the diving board. In a sweetly appealing tale of overcoming your fears, newcomer Gaia Cornwall captures a moment between a patient and encouraging father and a determined little boy you can’t help but root for.

 


On the Manhattan bank of the Hudson River, a small lighthouse–made of steel and painted bright red–proudly protects boats with his faithful beam. One day a  great expanse of gray steel, which also shines a bright light into the fog and darkness, is built over it. The little red lighthouse feels insignificant and useless in comparison but soon learns that . . . small can be mighty!

ABOUT GOVERNORS ISLAND

Governors Island is in New York, only minutes away from lower Manhattan and Brooklyn! You and your family can go to Governors Island by catching a ferry this summer.

ABOUT ROCCO STAINO

Rocco is the charismatic host of StoryMakers, our interview show.  A captivating and important figure in the book community, he is a prominent librarian, a contributing editor at School Library Journal, a contributing writer at The Huffington Post, and the Director of the Empire State Center for the Book, which administers the New York State Writers Hall of Fame. Rocco has interviewed such luminaries as Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, and Jean Craighead George.