Welcome to my blog series Picking Pages: Picture Book Peeks where we pick our favorite Picture Book pages! Today we’re looking at GRAVITY IS BRINGING ME DOWN by author Wendelin Van Draanen and illustrator Cornelia Li. It was published by Alfred A. Knopt in 2024.
The klutz in me adores this story. This is a book that starts with our main character not just getting up on the wrong side of the bed – she falls out of the bed. Then she falls on the bus. And falls on the playground. And she drops things in class. And knocks things over at meals.
I feel this girl. I’ve lived this day.
She even bumps a book cart into a doorway while trying to get to the school library. Who here has run a full book cart into something?
*raises hand*
So, yeah. I get her frustration.
The book is great for any kids who feel a bit clumsy. And, to be honest, when you take growing pains into consideration, that’s most kids. She blames the clumsiness on gravity, and the best part of the story is when she gets to experience a type of anti-gravity at the Children’s Museum. She bounces and slides and climbs all around the space room in order to discover some freedom from gravity’s normal pull.
It’s a joyful story.
When it comes to a favorite pages, I picked out the museum page first. Because this one shows the excitement she has in the freedom of her movements when she’s in her special “happy place.” You can see the glum transform into glee.
And I picked the breakfast illustration because I love the absolute chaos of it. A simple slip of the hand and – whoosh! – cereal EVERYWHERE! This would, incidentally, make my dog very happy too.
So what do you think? Which page is your favorite?
Vote here:
Thanks for voting!
And remember, the best ways to support your favorite authors and illustrators includes buying their books, leaving them reviews, marking them as “want to read” on Goodreads, checking their books out of the library, and sharing how much you love the books on social media. Here are some helpful links:
- GRAVITY IS BRINGING ME DOWN on Bookshop.org
- GRAVITY IS BRINGING ME DOWN on Amazon
- GRAVITY IS BRINGING ME DOWN on Goodreads
- The author’s website: Wendelin Van Draanen
- The illustrator’s website: Cornelia Li
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When you read the book, share with me your favorite parts in the comments. And be sure to vote on some of the other Picking Pages posts as well!
Happy reading!
xo Rosemary