Pa, Me, and Our Sidewalk Pantry - by Toni Buzzeo (Hardcover)

About the Book

Together Pa and Jelly Bean build a sidewalk pantry right next to their sidewalk library, and as they get more visitors, Jelly Bean comes up with the idea to combine the books and food; so neighbors feel invited to take a meal and a good book.

Book Synopsis

A kind and generous grandparent-grandchild duo nourishes their neighborhood in this full-color picture book from New York Times bestselling author Toni Buzzeo and illustrator Zara González Hoang.

Pa and his grandchild, Jelly Bean, have a sidewalk library filled with stories. Anyone can bring donations or take something to read. Jelly Bean loves the sidewalk library! But what about when their neighbors might need something more than books?

Together, Pa and Jelly Bean build a sidewalk pantry right next to the sidewalk library. They get donations from neighbors who have a lot to give, and leave the doors open for those who may not have enough.

This charming multigenerational story celebrates community, generosity, and creative problem-solving.

Review Quotes

Generosity and community spirit abound in Buzzeo's picture book about a boy and his grandfather working to nourish their neighborhood in mind and body. Hoang's watercoloresque illustrations are charmingly childlike and capture the sweetness of the grandfather and grandson's close relationship.

--Booklist

"Buzzeo has written a timely book on the underrated power of libraries and mutual aid. Hoang's delicate use of colored pencil and watercolor gives the tale an endearing and pleasant touch. A charming, intergenerational story of compassion, creativity, and community."--Kirkus

About the Author

Toni Buzzeo is the author of the Caldecott honor book and New York Times bestseller One Cool Friend and many other books for children. She lives in Arlington, Massachusetts.
Zara González Hoang is the illustrator of several picture books. She grew up in a little bungalow in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. Surrounded by snow, she spent her days dreaming, doodling, and listening to the colorful stories of her dad's life growing up in Puerto Rico while navigating her place as a Puerto Rican Jew in a sea of Scandinavians. (She's still figuring that out.) These days, she lives outside of Washington, DC, with her husband, their kids, and a curly coated corgi named Ziggy. She is the author of Measuring a Year: A Rosh Hashanah Story.