“Thunder Boy Jr.’’
By Sherman Alexie, illustrated by Yuyi Morales; Little, Brown, $17.99, ages 3-6
Nicknames, even those bestowed with affection, can embarrass and annoy. The irrepressible, eponymous narrator of National Book Award-winner Sherman Alexie’s first picture book, Thunder Boy Jr., even has strong feelings about his given name, “My mom wanted to name me Sam,’’ Thunder Boy Jr. tells readers. “Sam is a good name. Sam is a normal name. THUNDER BOY is not a normal name.’’
But it’s his nickname that really mortifies him. His father, Thunder Boy Sr. gets called, “BIG THUNDER. That nickname is a storm filling up the sky.’’ Inevitably his son is called Little Thunder. “That nickname makes me sound like a burp or a fart,’’ observes the boy.
Little Thunder may have a diminutive name, but he has a big voice that is both conversational and conspiratorial. His charming tone sweeps through the story about his search for a new moniker — one that matches his interests and experiences. He likes old toys and grass dancing, bike riding, and digging in the dirt. For each activity he invents a playful name. “I once touched a wild orca on the nose, so maybe my name should be NOT AFRAID OF TEN THOUSAND TEETH,’’ he says; The next page reads: “I once climbed a mountain, so maybe my name should be TOUCH THE CLOUDS.’’
Little Thunder’s character and spirit is rich and vibrant enough to anchor a whole novel. The members of his Native American family are similarly sketched whole. They feel both familiar and unique: his motorcyclist mother, Agnes; his mercurial little sister Lillian; and his father who thoughtfully listens as his son spins songs of himself.
Like the outrageous, descriptive names that Little Thunder shouts out, the illustrations by Yuyi Morales (who also made the pictures for Caldecott Honor winning, “Viva Frida’’) burst with colors and ideas. But when Little Thunder’s dad comes through with a new nickname, one that captures his son’s spark, and reaffirms their bond, the fireworks fade from the pages. The last spread shows father and son in a playful embrace, strong and warm against the sky.
NICOLE LAMY
