Age Group: 3 - 6 Years

Description:

Winner of the 1995 Caldecott Medal, this powerful picture book by Eve Bunting and illustrator David Diaz tells the story of young Daniel and his mother as their Los Angeles neighbourhood erupts into a night of rioting. From their apartment window they watch shops being looted and chaos unfold in the streets below. When fire forces them to flee to a community shelter, Daniel worries about his beloved cat Jasmine, who has gone missing—along with the cat belonging to Mrs. Kim, a neighbour the family has never spoken to. When a firefighter arrives carrying both cats curled up together, the unlikely friendship between the rival animals quietly opens the door for the families too. Diaz's striking acrylic-and-collage artwork pairs with Bunting's gentle, child-eyed narrative to introduce themes of fear, prejudice, kindness and community in a way young readers can truly feel.