New York State Of Mind

New York State Of Mind

From BooklistPreS-Gr. 2. Does Billy Joel's wonderful song "New York State of Mind" make a picture book? Well, yes and no. Izak's sweeping artwork puts the accent on the pictures, but does the text work as a story? Not really. Those familiar with the song will remember that it's about the singer taking a nostalgic trip back to NYC, revisiting old haunts. Here the protagonist is a dog. After "taking a greyhound down the Hudson River line" (uh, that would be a bus, not a canine), the floppy-eared fellow finds himself in New York at Christmas. He knows "what I'm needing," and that turns out to be the fluffy, long-haired dog he meets in the park. Romantic New York activities ensue, with some cute twists. Pictures accompanying the lyrics about needing the New York Times and the Daily News show the pups under the papers in a driving rain. In the end, it's the artwork (which could probably be paired with lots of songs) that makes this special. Izak evocatively mirrors the city's vibe by mixing bold strokes with impressionistic touches. An accompanying CD brings the song to a new generation. Ilene CooperCopyright