Book of the Month: Milo Imagines the World

 

Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Pena is my Book of the Month pick for so many reasons. Very well-thought-out, this powerful picture book has a much needed message, a surprising twist, and is a thought-provoking read for young and old. Not to mention the great illustrations by Christian Robinson. 

Summary: While Milo and his sister travel to a detention center to visit their incarcerated mother, he observes strangers on the subway and draws what he imagines their lives to be. 

Ages: 4-8 years

"Maybe you can't really know anyone just by looking at their face."

This is what you get when you combine the works of a Newbery Medal winner and Caldecott Honor author with an award-winning New York Times bestseller. Perfection. 

This book is touching and is a lesson for everyone to be learned. That you don't assume and judge someone by the way they look and that we don't know everyone's story and what they are going through. 

From Milo's perspective it proves that even adults can learn from children when in the story, Milo realizes that his assumptions of people he sees on his subway ride could be wrong. He wonders what others may perceive of him and we get yet another lesson. And our smart Milo also realizes that maybe his sister might be having a hard time like him and gives her a break when she gets upset at him. 

Acceptance, forgiveness, and non-judgmental behavior are just some of the lessons in this book. I cannot commend this book enough!