Katie Yamasaki – illustratör

11th Street: it wasn’t pretty, but it was home. Naomi spends her afternoons scooting down the streets and drawing with chalk on the pavement with her best friend Ada, getting a slice of pizza and visiting her neighbour Mr Ray at his car shop and dreaming of fantastic worlds within her own.But her beloved neighbourhood is changing. Trees are chopped down, flashy new buildings spring up and one by one Naomi’s neighbours are forced to move away. Faced with the rapid transformation of her once-familiar city, Naomi turns to painting murals to preserve her favourite 11th Street memories. When something we love goes away we paint it on the wall so it’s always with us, Mr Ray tells her and Naomi discovers that no matter how her world changes, as long as she has places and people to love, she will always have a home.

Honking cars, pizza by the slice, Hair by Carmen, the corner bodega—and Naomi’s best friend, Ada.But 11th Street begins to change. Shops close, buildings are torn down and signs promise something new. One by one, Naomi’s neighbours are forced to move. Faced with the transformation of her city block, Naomi picks up a paintbrush. When something we love goes away we paint it on the wall so it’s always with us, her neighbour Mister Ray tells her. Naomi turns her 11th Street memories into a great mural—and discovers that where she finds people to love, she will have a place to love.Internationally acclaimed muralist Katie Yamasaki’s paintings are at once monumental and heartfelt. Everything Naomi Loved entwines a celebration of community and friendship with a vision of social justice in this lyrical and universal story about home.

The world is full of so many different things: animals, plants, foods, languages, people. But it might not have been that way if it weren''t for God''s big plan . . .

This vibrant picture book illuminates a new understanding of the story of Babel in Genesis, revealing God''s plan for wonderful diversity throughout the world. God''s Big Plan includes a note for parents and educators.

God''s Big Plan is a Junior Library Guild Selection.