JUST JERRY

The late Caldecott medalist Pinkney shares the childhood experiences that put him on the path to greatness.

Young Jerry grew up on a nurturing, all-Black block in Philadelphia in the 1940s and ’50s; his large family and circle of friends were crucial to his development as an artist, especially as he struggled with dyslexia. Jerry’s grandfather worked at a pencil factory, so Jerry was always able to draw whatever caught his imagination. His father took him along on home-repair jobs, showing Jerry the value of hard work. School was difficult, but his teacher Mrs. Miller helped him find ways to incorporate his drawing into his schoolwork. Jerry and his friends faced de facto segregation, and Jerry longed for experiences that were out of reach. A part-time job selling newspapers led to a chance meeting with cartoonist John Liney, and a visit to his studio offered a glimpse of what it would be like to be a working artist. This memoir, which was largely completed at the time of Pinkney’s death in 2021, provides important insight into one of children’s literature’s most prolific illustrators. Intimate and conversational in tone, the narrative is warm and inviting. The importance of family and community and Pinkney’s determination are strong themes throughout. The powerful text is accompanied by sketches that enhance the tale (an editor’s note states that Pinkney had planned to flesh those sketches out into elaborate drawings).

A moving work from a legend of children’s literature and a testament to his legacy of visual storytelling.