This book is illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. Each page is carefully illustrated using pencil, colored pencils, and watercolors. The images are interesting to look at because they are detailed, but not perfect in appearance because the watercolors merge together to form many different shades of color.
Back Home is about an 8 year old girl named Ernestine. She takes a trip over the summer to stay with her great-uncle, great-aunt, and cousin on their North Carolina farm. Ernestine has a special bond with the farm because it is where she was born. Ernestine and her cousin, Jack, have a few problems at first. By the end of the story, Jack allows Ernestine to name his new baby goat and gives her a small pouch of dried corn to take home for a keepsake of the farm. The two cousins realize how much they care for one another and look forward to the next summer's visit.
I was a little disappointed because the story uses little African American dialect. However, I did enjoy how the author described typical farm life with things such as plowing with mules and raising baby animals. I can definitely relate to the farm life from this story because I grew up around farms. I love to read stories where children have opportunities to explore the many things to do on a farm.
This story taught me that illustrations play a major role in determining the overall effect on a story. The blended colors and variety of shades help to set a calming mood during the story. The colors seem to relate wonderfully to farm life and the time period of the story, the 1930s or 1940s.
Pickney has illustrated many other children's books such as Aesop's Fables, The Ugly Duckling, The Patchwork Quilt, and Goin' Someplace Special. Recently, Jerry Pickney won the 2010 Caldecott Medal for his adaption of an Aesop fable called The Lion and the Mouse.
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