instead, he is thinking about other things. big things. and small things,

I picked The Paperboy to show not only because it's a Caldecott Honor book, but also because it really highlights Dav Pilkey's versatility and range. Yup. That's the same Dav Pilkey behind such comedic 'classics' as Captain Underpants and Kat Kong and Dogzilla. And the Big Dog and Little Dog board books. Apparently, and this may already be common knowledge, he paints and thinks deeply as well. The quiet and calm Paperboy is a noticeable departure from Pilkey's usual high energy action/adventure. What I found particularly interesting was that Pilkey's paperboy is Afican-american. I see this book as more of a bedtime story someone might read when they actually want the kid to go to sleep. The little paperboy awakens early in the morning and goes to deliver his papers in the complete stillness and silence of early morning, followed by his dog. He does his job and then goes home to climb back into bed and dream with the rest of the world. Trust me, my description has oversimplified the story. The illustrations are, of course, striking. Although, they didn't knock my socks off.