Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Pena and illustrator Christian Robinson

Milo is a boy riding the subway with his older sister. The young boy is excited and worried, but to calm his nerves, he starts studying the people in the subway car. Milo imagines what other people's lives are like based on their appearance. In addition, he uses his drawing book to illustrate how he thinks the people live. Milo discovers that one of the boys on the train is headed to the same place he is, which surprises him because he expects the boy to be royalty by how he dresses. This surprise leads Milo to rethink his perception of those dressed poorly or nicely. The ending not only gives a more precise idea to the reader about Milo's situation but offers "a child's view of the impact of incarceration on families." ("A subway ride," 2021)

Critical Analysis

Milo Imagines the World is a picture book by Matt de la Pena and illustrated by Coretta Scott King Award Winner Christian Robinson. The story is in the third person and is an appropriate book for children six and under. Milo's character is cautious, curious, and endearing. Themes include incarceration, imagination, and curiosity. The illustrations accurately represent Milo and his sister's African American heritage regarding skin tone and hairstyles.

Similarly, the setting represents urban contexts like the subway, varied representations of ethnicities, street dance troops, and musicians playing randomly within the subway. Robinson uses a white background in his illustrations, enhancing the various colors of blue, green, yellow, and brown. Despite the illustrations drawn in childlike ways, they convey their message creatively and powerfully.

There is a clear representation of modern life with the use of cell phones by Milo's sister and other passengers. Likewise, the illustrations constitute an authentic, distinct cultural experience regarding children who must take up the guardian role if a parent is incarcerated. Notably, the quality of the story invites reflection and analysis of the difficulties of children with incarcerated parents.

The story's strength is that the illustrations show Milo growing as a person after recognizing his own biases. The weakness is that we only get a small glimpse into Milo's life. Teachers may want to use this book to help students to understand their own biases in how they see others around them. Readers may enjoy You Matter by Christian Robinson, a picture book with a similar idea about looking at the world from different perspectives.

Reference

"A subway ride". (2021, February 2). Milo Imagines the World. Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved June 19, 2022, from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/matt-de-la-pena/milo-imagines-world/

Peña, M. de la. (2021). Milo Imagines the World. (C. Robinson, Illust.) G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers.