The New York Times bestselling team behind Parker Looks Up returns with this Level 1 Ready-to-Read celebrating friendship that stays strong even over long distances! Parker is writing to her friend, Gia, about the exciting sights she sees during her road trip across America. Even though Parker and Gia are far away from each other, they can still be best friends! PreS-Gr 1-Parker Curry is the African American girl who became an internet sensation when a picture of her looking up at a portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama at the National Portrait Gallery went viral. That moment led to the book Parker Looks Up, and other books written with her mother. This latest story finds Parker and her best friend Gia about to be separated when the Currys take a road trip. Parker decides she will write Gia letters and faithfully recounts her visits to the beach in North Carolina, the aquarium in Georgia, and a lantern festival in New Mexico. Back matter includes information about the real-life friendship of African American writers Zora Neale Hurston and Dorothy West; Hurston wrote letters to West during her trips to the South in the 1920s. Jackson's and Keith's crisp illustrations showcase bold colors that contrast to create visually striking images: Parker's rich brown skin against the deep blue water of the aquarium, multicolored sleds against tan sand, and pastel lanterns against a black sky. Short sentences and large type make the narrative accessible for beginning readers. Adults can take the opportunity to talk with children about the lost art of letter writing. VERDICT A simple, sweet story about friendship that is a good addition for any collection, but especially ones where early reader titles with diverse protagonists might be needed, or where the other "Parker Curry" books are already popular.-Florence Simmons α(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. "A simple, sweet story about friendship that is a good addition for any collection." -- School Library Journal ― February 2022 Parker Curry, nine years old, is a New York Times bestselling author and dynamic, curious young mind with a love for ballet, art, fashion, and inspiring others. Currently, Parker is a very curious, voracious learner in third grade, exploring her passions: sewing, writing, mathematics, and reading new books in hopes of expanding her understanding of the world around her. At two years old, Parker became an international inspiration when a profound photograph of her awestruck by Michelle Obama’s portrait went viral. That extraordinary moment was the subject of Parker's first published book, Parker Looks Up , a New York Times bestseller and recipient of multiple literary recognitions. Precocious Parker lives with her family in Sherman Oaks, California, where she enjoys spending time at the beach, traveling abroad, knitting, sewing, crocheting, and reading to herself or audiences of children and adults alike. Jessica Curry is a New York Times bestselling author, executive assistant, independent school registrar, public speaker and host, freelance writer, celebrity interviewer, and devoted, doting Mama to three children: Parker, Ava, and Cash. Jessica was born and raised in Washington, DC, and attended Morgan State University and Howard University. Jessica’s debut children’s picture book, written with her oldest daughter, Parker, was nominated for an NAACP Image Award and the California Young Reader Medal. The mother-daughter duo has since penned six additional children’s books in hopes of inspiring others to dream big dreams and share their stories. Jessica’s work has been featured by The New York Times , CNN, Forbes , NPR, NBC Nightly News , Access Hollywood , The Library of Congress National Book Festival, Good Morning America , The New-York Historical Society, and more. Jessica and her family reside in Sherman Oaks, California. Brittany (Bea) Jackson is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning illustrator of Parker Looks Up and Parker Shines On . She attended the College for Creative Studies and was a grand prize winner of the L. Ron Hubbard’s Illustrator of the Future Contest. In addition to her work as a children’s book artist and a character and concept artist, Bea’s art has been featured on books and comic covers as well as in various magazines. She lives in Detroit, Michigan. Visit Brittany online at BeaGifted.com. Tajae Keith is a painter with a focus on character design currently based in Oakland, California. Inspired endlessly by rap, the heartbeat of the Black community, she explores the punk-esque nature of Blackness through dynamic shape language and expressive colors. A night owl by nature, you can find her at her desk painting under the cover of darkness with a cup of coffee close by.