Down In The Subway [Hardcover]

What a fun book to read. This book lends itself so well to a riveting read aloud. Add your own voice accent and song rhythm as you rollick your way through the subway scene that is so aptly captured. Fun for the reader, fun for the hearers!

It's funny to think about the preconceptions a person brings to a book. When I picked up the picture book, "Down In the Subway" I was thinking it would be one of those staid and serious tales about what the subway is like. There would have been explanations about trains and lines and who built the tunnels and stuff like that. And I'm sure that there are books out there that list such information. This just isn't one of them. Nope, this is a Caribbean-infused tale of one boy's amazing subway trip. It's bright and fun and offer a great deal of surrealism for the kiddies.

Oscar and his mom and little brother are taking the 1 Line on the subway home. Oscar's a little shy, but he keeps looking at an Island Lady sitting on the train near him. The lady, "smiled a fine Islands smile" and asks the boy if he'd like to know what she has in her bag. Before you know it she's pulled cooled island breezes from its depths. She's removed the sea itself, delicious island foodstuffs (ackee rice, salt fish, callaloo, pineapple, and coconut tarts), as well as a Calypso Man. She pulls out a steel drum band and then an entire Island town itself. Then, in the midst of the entire subway car dancing and partying to beat of the band, Oscar and his mom reach their stop (125th street). They wave goodbye to the mysterious Island Lady and they never see her again. But that's okay. Oscar's remembered her song and, "sang it so much, pretty soon his baby brother could sing it too".

Author Miriam Cohen has truly penned a "Cat in the Hat", Manhattan style. But where the Cat's bag only held objects that wreaked destruction, the Island Lady's bag contains objects that bring a whole lotta good times. There's a great rhythm to the text of this tale. The repetitive phrase, "don't you know", ties the book together. The trippy Calypso Man's song offers a beat (which, if you can find a calypso tune to attach to it, could definitely be the high point of the text). There's a lot of life and verve to this tale and it's a pleasure to read. In a way, I wish the illustrations matched it perfectly. For the most part they do. Though they initially look to be cut paper pictures, they're actually just bright paints. The images pop out at you so brilliantly that you assume they're layered colored paper. Some of the perspectives are a little screwy here and there, but on the whole they're fun to flip through. If there is a severe flaw in this book, however, and it's the inclusion of the 125th street subway stop. I think author Miriam Cohen has visited that stop or she probably wouldn't have included it. Illustrator Melanie Hope Greenberg, however, has obviously never been there. 125th street stop (on the 1 or 9 Line) is one of the rare elevated subway stops out of doors. In the illustration, however, this line is supposed to be underground. Greenberg assumed all subway stops look the same and drew it without doing her research. Naughty Greenberg. Naughty.

But that's the extent of my criticism. On the whole, "Down In the Subway" is a great what-if story. It combines the realistic workings of mass transportation with the bright n' shiny rhythms of the sweet Caribbean seas. This book would be a fine pair with the similarly rhythmed, "Chicka Chicka Bang Bang". Consider them both for your next storytime, but only if you've an ear for bouncy texts. This book would definitely suffer if it was read by someone monotonely toned. So hep yourself up on caffeine and read the joyful text of "Down In the Subway" when the mood is right. It'll make you hunger for more.

Just perfect to get in the swing of the warm weather months, here's a book that just makes you feel all bright and summery! Down In The Subway tells the story of Oscar's ride on the subway, and what happens one particular day when commuting with his mom and baby brother. Restless Oscar gets up and twirls holding onto a pole, when a woman (the Island Lady) asks him if he would like to see what is in her bag. Oscar's mom gives her approval, and from there we are taken on a magical subway ride fantasy. Each spread features island entertainment more delightful than the last. I won't spoil any of the fun spreads for you by pointing out any details but I will say that the writing and the art mesh beautifully--both wear a laid-back island vibe that bring the party right to the reader, no invitation needed.

The folk-art illustrations feature the soft and bright colors of caribbean island life, and the characters are full of personality (including the subway car itself). The design layout, illustrations and text all work together in unison. Some elements of the illustrations, for instance, are used as a backdrop for text to perfect effect. The art appears to be in gouache paint, so gouache illustration fans- this is one for you to check out!

This is a great book for those who love New York City since it is also a lovely homage to NYC as well. A super fun book with a lot of energy and spice, and a lot of "music" in the pages!

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