PARKER LOOKS UP: An Extraordinary Moment written by Parker Curry and Jessica Curry and illustrated by Brittany Jackson is a lovely picture book based on a true event in the life of one little girl.
Four-year old Parker who loves dancing and swirling about accompanies her mother and siblings and her best friend to the National Portrait Gallery in Washington D.C. where she lives. As the children skip through the hallways they see many paintings(reimagined here) such as George Washington Carver by Betsy Graves Reyneau, Albert Einstein by Max Westfield and Frida Kahlo by Magda Pach. The children are delightfully drawn to the flowers Carver is holding, Einstein’s bushy mustache and Frida Kahlo’s shinny necklace.
But then, Parker looks up. Her eyes are glued to what she sees, namely, a picture of a what she thinks is a queen. “She had rich brown skin just like Parker, and kind, familiar eyes that reminded Parker of… her mother, her grandmother, her sister, and yes---even of herself.” It was the portrait of Michelle Obama by Amy Sherald that had recently taken its position in the National Portrait Gallery. A picture of Parker’s wide-eyed gaze went viral when a by- stander took a picture on a cell phone.
PARKER LOOKS UP: An Extraordinary Moment written by Parker Currey and Jessica Currey with illustrations by Brittany Jackson is a beautiful and authentic story told in both genuine words and engaging digitally rendered pictures for children 4-8 years of age (Aladdin/Simon and Schuster, 2019).
The Children’s Bookshelf is a production of WCMU. A link to the podcast and activity questions can be found at Children’s Bookshelf dot org.
Questions for Parker Looks Up: An Extraordinary Moment
Visit the National Portrait Gallery online to see each of the portraits shown in this book and read more about each of the pictures and the artists who painted them. How did this book’s illustrator make each picture from the Portrait Gallery kid friendly? In other words, how was each picture changed in order to depict a child’s point of view?
Have you ever seen something at school, in your backyard, on a trip or at a shopping mall that stopped you in your tracks like Curry Parker experienced----something that you could not stop looking at? It could be something so beautiful, or so surprising or so interesting or so reaffirming that you could not look away? Think about it. How did it make you feel? Draw a picture of what you saw.
Have you ever visited an art museum in your area with your family or your teacher and classmates? If so, did you enjoy the experience? Why or why not? Locate an art museum in your area by going online and seeing what it has to offer. Parents and grandparents can assist. Perhaps you can help your family plan a visit.
