The Day Ray Got Away by Angela Johnson

Johnson, Angela.  The Day Ray Got Away.  Illustrated by Luke LaMarca.  Simon and Schuster, 2010. $16.99 PICTURE BOOK.  Content: G.  Six huge balloons are preparing for a parade.  The big sunshine balloon named Ray decides that he is going to escape into the sky on this day.  He pulls against the ropes holding him and escapes into the sky, amazing his other balloon friends.  He drags along handlers and causes mayhem along the parade route. The story is hard to relate to and the pictures are so vague that it is confusing what it is about for most of the book.  The end of the book shows a picture of Ray the balloon floating around along the skyline up by the moon, which leaves the reader wondering what’s going to happen to him and what was the point of his journey.  NO.  Reviewer, C. Peterson, teacher.