Thursday, May 16, 2019

Review: Nelly Takes New York by Allison Pataki and Marya Myers


NELLY TAKES NEW YORK
by Allison Pataki and Marya Myers
Illustrated by Kristi Valiant
Simon & Schuster
May 14th, 2019
Picture Book
48 pages
ages 4 to 8



The Big Apple may be hiding in the place you least expect it in this spunky introduction to the best parts of New York.

Nelly lives in New York, the greatest city in the world.

Every morning, she wakes up to the rumble of the subways and the honking of cars.
Every morning, she can smell the food cart downstairs and hear the rat-a-tat-tat of the street musicians outside.
Every morning, she goes outside to be in the city she knows like the back of her hand—or does she?

One morning, Nelly and her dog Bagel decide to find out what New York is really about—or more specifically, why a city that has nothing to do with apples is the Biggest Apple of them all. Could there really be a giant apple somewhere in New York? And where is it hiding?


 MY TIDBITS

A sweet girl and her adorable dog try to figure out where the Big Apple is in this fun homage to New York.

Nelly lives in an apartment in New York with her faithful friend, Bagel. One morning, she wonders where the Big Apple is located. Taking to the streets, she asks various people where the apple is and each time ends up at an interesting location...but not the big apple. With Bagel keeping her on her toes, she begins to wonder if she'll ever find what she's looking for.

Fans of New York (or those curious about the city) are sure to love this tale. Nelly is a spunky, sweet girl who is curious and determined. Her dog, Bagel, is the perfect companion and adds not only that extra dab of cuteness but humor as well. It's fun to follow the two as they visit various and several well-known sites in the big city.

The illustrations are as busy as the city and bring the excitement and variety to life. There are many details and surprises in each one, guaranteeing that young readers will flip through on their own to discover more. At the same time, the message behind the search becomes clear as Nelly discovers what makes New York the city it is.

The Big Apple isn't what Nelly first suspects it might be, but rather brings across the heart of the city. The pacing is just right for young readers to follow this and understand what is going on. There is enough excitement to keep the tale interesting, while the more serious message seeps in. This makes it a wonderful read-aloud and one to be read more than once.


And here they are...

The Authors...
Allison Pataki is the multiple New York Times bestselling author of four fiction novels, one nonfiction memoir, an upcoming new fiction novel in Spring of 202, and now an exciting new children's book series. Allison's books have been translated into more than eighteen languages. A former news writer and producer, Allison graduated cum laude from Yale University with a major in English. An avid traveler and reader, Allison is the daughter of former New York Governor George Pataki. She lives in New York with her husband, children, and rescue pup. To learn more and connect with Allison, please visit AllisonPataki. com.

Marya Myers is an early literacy author and editor. Having worked with children in a broad capacity from teaching, coaching, tutoring, and developing curricula for classrooms across the country, she became inspired to combine her passion fro traveling and teaching into storytelling. she graduated from Yale University with a major in history and received her Master's degree in early childhood education and special education from teachers College at Columbia University. She grew up in New York and now lives in Washington, DC with her husband and child.


The Illustrator...
Kristi Valiant is the illustrator of Pretty Minnie in Paris, Pretty Minnie in Hollywood, the Little Wings chapter book series, and Penguin Cha-Cha, which she wrote and illustrated. She graduated magna cum laude from Columbus College of Art & Design. Kristi lives (and dances!) in Indiana with her husband and daughters. Visit Kristi online KristiValiant.com.

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