Chalk the Walk

Chelsea Tornetto is a former world geography teacher who has loved writing ever since she was a kid. Her first book, Conquering Content Vocabulary, was published by Scholastic in 2018, but now her passion is picture books. She is the award-winning author of Gardens Are for Growing (Familius 2022) and God Made You Too (WorthyKids 2022), with more titles on the way.As an introverted kid growing up in Vermont, drawing came naturally to Laurel Aylesworth. Instead of going to the mall like most teenagers, you would find her in her room drawing scenes from Lord of the Rings or copying her favorite characters from Elfquest comics. Later, her career path naturally led to graphic design, but something was missing (namely, elves and magic). She found her calling as an illustrator after becoming a mother and, hence, wading knee-deep in picture books from the library.

"Kids use bright chalk to enliven a drab urban brownstone block.Sidewalks and walls go from dull to dazzling thanks to the handiwork of these young artists. Along the way, the children are cheered by their creations—and they inspire their neighbors to take part in enjoyable activities. Just watch that gray-haired elder cutting loose, cane in tow. The local saxophonist probably never realized that 'chalk can elevate a song.' And the mail carrier joins in on a game of hopscotch. In the end, rainfall washes away the artwork—but no worries. That’s only a temporary setback, for the chalks can be brought out tomorrow to create new projects! The lively story is aptly expressed in jaunty verse. Rhythmic, repetitive wording (most sentences start with the phrase 'Chalk is') will encourage readers to chant along, too. Grays suffuse the backdrops early on, but more vibrant hues are slowly introduced, ending the narrative on an appropriately sunny note. Readers will be pleased to see that the story’s youngsters make like-minded new friends while going about their colorful business. The book makes another good point: 'Chalk is better than a screen.' Kids will pick up some terrific ideas about sidewalk chalk projects of their own—works that could also be rendered on paper with chalk or other media. Characters are diverse.Chalk this charmer up as a terrific exercise in creativity and camaraderie."