Reviews

Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Peña

lattelibrarian's review

hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This is such a sweet book about challenging your own biases and stereotypes--even when they appear to be good. Milo is a young boy taking the train with his sister to see his mother, who is incarcerated. Along the way, he imagines the lives of those in his carriage, and asks himself what people imagine when they see him. When he spots a young white boy also taking the train, he imagines a fantastical life filled with castles and privilege...only to find out he is also getting in line to see an incarcerated loved one!

de la Pena and Robinson are a strong duo and play to each other's strengths when creating a book. This is not one to miss.

agnesjlopez's review

hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

keeliegrasley's review

3.0

Kind of boring, but the message is important and the ending is sweet and surprising. A good book to teach kids about thinking past first impressions. I always appreciate the diversity that Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson share in their picture books. This book is about a boy taking the train to go visit his mom in prison. It is important for kids to see themselves reflected in books.

bickie's review

Great story to start a discussion about assumptions we make about people based on what they look like.

samgray's review

5.0

Vibrant and fun to read!

I didn't guess the ending- proving the point that you can't understand the story of someone's life based on their clothes, speech, face, or any part of their appearance.
This is a book I would be proud to read to children I care for or display in my own home. It's beautiful inside and out.

Thanks for the reminder to love without prejudice, Milo

ralphiereads76's review

5.0

Primary, secondary storyline. Indirect characterization.

acpbooks's review

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

carolinemwatson's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

4.0

jaij7's review

5.0

This book is beautiful. (incarcerated parent, art therapy)

xsleepyshadows's review

5.0

Milo is on his way to visit his mom, he has a drawing pad and is drawing the people and letting his imagination and coloring skill draw pictures of what he imagines his life might be...only to realize he's judging books by their covers. Slowly learning people's lives are complex and perhaps assuming the best may be better. The message and the book's story goes hand and hand so seamlessly, I thought about this book for the rest of the day.