LITTLE CLIFF AND THE COLD PLACE

In 1950s Glen Allan, Mississippi, Little Cliff is introduced to the wider world by a map and an enthusiastic teacher. When she tells her students about Alaska, Cliff is enthralled. He’s also absolutely convinced that he and Poppa Joe can drive there easily. After all, he could trace the distance on the map with his fingers. When Poppa Joe convinces Cliff that Alaska is really too far for a drive, he finds a way to console him and to bring Alaska to him. An old friend shows them pictures from his Navy days in Alaska and lends him a fur-trimmed parka. Another old friend gives them access to an icehouse that Poppa Joe turns into an Alaskan experience complete with ice fishing. Little Cliff is a delightful, inquisitive child surrounded by the warmth and love of a remarkable multigenerational family—Poppa Joe and Mama Pearl are his great-grandparents. Friendships are long term and colorblind. Cliff’s family and Brother Cleve, the icehouse owner, are African-American and Mr. Jacob is white and Jewish. Lewis’s illustrations are full of light and joy. They perfectly capture each character and beautifully complement the text. This is Taulbert’s third Little Cliff offering (Little Cliff Goes to School, 2001; Little Cliff and the Porch People, 1999), each based on a childhood memory. It’s to be hoped there will be many more to come. (Picture book. 5-9)