"Thunder Boy Jr. wants a normal name...one that's all his own. Dad is known as Big Thunder, but Little Thunder doesn't want to share a name"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

Little Thunder wants a name that separates him from his father, Big Thunder, and considers such options as "Touch the Sky" and "Drums, Drums, and More Drums" before his father helps him find the perfect alternative. - (Baker & Taylor)

A first picture book by the National Book Award-winning author of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian follows the experiences of a young boy who longs to earn a name of his own that reflects something special that he has done. Illustrated by the Caldecott Honor-winning artist of Viva Frida. - (Baker & Taylor)

<b>From <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Sherman Alexie and Caldecott Honor winning Yuyi Morales comes a striking and beautifully illustrated picture book celebrating the special relationship between father and son.</b><br><br> Thunder Boy Jr. wants a normal name...one that's all his own. Dad is known as big Thunder, but little thunder doesn't want to share a name. He wants a name that celebrates something cool he's done like Touch the Clouds, Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth, or Full of Wonder.<br><br> But just when Little Thunder thinks all hope is lost, dad picks the best name...Lightning! Their love will be loud and bright, and together they will light up the sky.<br><br> - (Grand Central Pub)

A National Book Award-winning author, poet, and filmmaker, Sherman Alexie is one of the most well-known and beloved literary writers of his generation. His works of fiction, including The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Reservation Blues, and The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, have received numerous awards and citations. He lives in Seattle. Like Thunder Boy Jr., Sherman was named for his father.

Since migrating to the United States from Mexico in 1994, Yuyi Morales has created some of our most celebrated children's books, including Niño Wrestles the World, Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, and many others. She is the winner of several awards, including a Pura Belpré Medal and a Caldecott Honor for Viva Frida. Yuyi divides her time between Mexico and California.
- (Grand Central Pub)

Booklist Reviews

*Starred Review* Thunder Boy, an adorable American Indian tyke in rolled-up yellow overalls, is named after his father, and he hates it! Not because it's not a normal name or because he doesn't like his father, though; he wants a name that better reflects who he is. On energetic pages in bold, brassy color, Thunder Boy tries to pick a more suitable name. He climbed a mountain once, so how about Touch the Clouds? He likes garage sales—Old Toys Are Awesome—and powwow dancing—Drums, Drums, and More Drums! Luckily, his dad catches on and offers the perfect suggestion: Lightning. Morales' playful figures, rendered in thick brushstrokes and appealingly rounded shapes, fizz with movement against textured scenes with pops of neon, while fantastic background details enliven the atmosphere—check out Thunder Boy's mom on a cool motorbike, and his pudgy sister exuberantly playing along. While the effervescent illustrations and boisterous tone are dynamite on their own, Alexie and Morales' story offers a breezy, matter-of-fact introduction to a tradition—replacing a child's name—that will likely be new to many readers. Even if little ones don't pick up on the cultural significance, they will be entranced by the brilliant illustrations and Thunder Boy's rollicking determination to branch out on his own. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Alexie and Morales would be big draws on their own; together, they just might be unstoppable. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews

"I HATE MY NAME!" complains Thunder Boy Smith Jr., a.k.a. Little Thunder: a nickname that "makes me sound like a burp or a fart." As he considers new names, the pictures let us into his world and his dreams. The book is both funny and real, and Morales's illustrations (made from "the remains of an antique house") give the family great specificity.

Horn Book Magazine Reviews

As the boy considers a number of new names, the pictures let us into his world and dreams. He once climbed a mountain (really his dad's strong back), so he could be named "Touch the Clouds," his little sister Lillian suggests. Lillian is no pushover, though; she also offers, considering Thunder Boy's bike-riding prowess, "Gravity's Best Friend." It is Dad who comes up with just the right name, rather a diversion from the book's theme of self-definition but unmistakable in its acknowledgment of the bond between father and son. Despite the dad-pleasing message, the book is too funny and real to veer into parental self-congratulation, and Morales's illustrations (made from "the remains of an antique house" -- you'll have to read the note) give great life and specificity to Thunder Boy's Lightning's family. Dad truly is a mountain of a man, Mom rides a sporty scooter, Lillian is both brattish and adoring when it comes to her big brother; a pet dog dances happily amongst them all. roger sutton

Kirkus Reviews

Thunder Boy Smith Jr. hates his name. The Native American boy is named after his father, whose nickname is Big Thunder. Thunder Boy Jr. says his nickname, Little Thunder, makes him "sound like a burp or a fart." Little Thunder loves his dad, but he longs for a name that celebrates something special about him alone. He muses, "I love playing in the dirt, so maybe my name should be Mud in His Ears.…I love powwow dancing. I'm a grass dancer. So maybe my name should be Drums, Drums, and More Drums!" Little Thunder wonders how he can express these feelings to his towering father. However, he need not worry. Big Thunder knows that the time has come for his son to receive a new name, one as vibrant as his blossoming personality. Morales' animated mixed-media illustrations, reminiscent of her Pura Belpré Award-winning work in Niño Wrestles the World (2013), masterfully use color and perspective to help readers see the world from Little Thunder's point of view. His adm iration of his dad is manifest in depictions of Big Thunder as a gentle giant of a man. The otherwise-muted palette bursts with color as Thunder Boy Jr. proudly enumerates the unique qualities and experiences that could inspire his new name. An expertly crafted, soulful, and humorous work that tenderly explores identity, culture, and the bond between father and son. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus 2016 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

Echoes of Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian resonate in this vibrant first-person tale, illustrated in a stormy palette by Morales (Niño Wrestles the World). "I am the only Thunder Boy who has ever lived," says the young narrator. "Or so you would think. But I am named after my dad. He is Thunder Boy Smith Sr., and I am..." Here, his mother pops in from the right lower margin to complete the sentence: "Thunder Boy Smith Jr." The boy confides that his father's nickname, Big Thunder, sounds impressive, while his own nickname, Little Thunder, "makes me sound like a burp or a fart." After confessing "I hate my name!" with a chorus of screaming snakes, wolves, and bears driving the point home, Thunder Boy proposes several profound or funny alternatives, including "Star Boy," "Old Toys Are Awesome," and "Drums, Drums, and More Drums" because he "love powwow dancing." In the end, his father understands his ambivalence and bestows a new name, although some readers may wish the boy, having spent several pages trying on new identities, had come up with it himself. Regardless, Alexie's first picture book showcases his ear for dialogue and sideways sense of humor, and Morales uses voice balloons and other comics elements to complement the characters' dynamic poses. Thunder Boy's energy is irresistible, as is this expansive portrait of a Native American family. Ages 3–6. Author's agent: Nancy Stauffer, Nancy Stauffer Associates. Illustrator's agent: Charlotte Sheedy, Charlotte Sheedy Literary Agency. (May)

School Library Journal Reviews

K-Gr 4—An enchanting and humorous picture book about a little boy frustrated with his name. Readers are drawn into the story narrated by Thunder Boy Jr., called Little Thunder, who is named after his father, who is called Big Thunder. He works through his angst at the indignity of the name, presenting his case like a seasoned lawyer as he goes in search of a better, cooler moniker like Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth or Touch the Clouds. The dialogue is humorous yet profound in the simple truths it imparts. His dad eventually gives him find the perfect name. Morales uses vibrant colors and textures to bring this joyful American Indian father and son to life. Collage elements and mixed media lend the artwork an almost three-dimensional effect. This has all of the qualities of a classic story like Goodnight Moon and is destined to be a modern classic, with youngsters wanting repeated readings. VERDICT Highly recommended for all picture book collections.—Naomi Caldwell, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL

School Library Journal Reviews

K-Gr 4—An enchanting and humorous picture book about a little boy frustrated with his name. Readers are drawn into the story narrated by Little Thunder, who is named after his father, Big Thunder. He works through his angst at the indignity of the name, presenting his case like a seasoned lawyer as he goes in search of a better, cooler moniker like Not Afraid of Ten Thousand Teeth or Touch the Clouds. The dialogue is humorous yet profound in the simple truths it imparts. His dad eventually helps him find the perfect name. Morales uses vibrant colors and textures to bring this joyful American Indian father and son to life. Collage elements and mixed media lend the artwork an almost three-dimensional effect. This has all of the qualities of a classic story like Goodnight Moon and is destined to be a modern classic, with youngsters wanting repeated readings. VERDICT Highly recommended for all picture book collections.—Naomi Caldwell, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL