The Loudness of Sam By: James Proimos

 

Proimos, James. The Loudness of Sam. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1999.

 

This story is about a young boy by the name of Sam who has been conditioned by his parents to express his feelings LOUDLY since birth. He takes a vacation with his pet Duck to visit his Aunt Tillie who lives in the “Big City”. Aunt Tillie is someone different than Sam; she suppresses her feeling and expects Sam to do the same. Ultimately Sam teaches his Aunt to express her feelings as well.

 

The color choices are very vibrant which is representative of Sam’s personality. The neon colors are exploding off the page creating a visual noise similar to the “Loudness of Sam”. The textures of these illustrations are rough and according to Cullinan & Galda, “texture conveys a sense of reality” (Pg.80). Sam’s fluctuation of moods and emotions between crying and laughing create a rough transition throughout the story. The illustrator exaggerates the typical human form by expanding, stretching, and elongating geometric shapes such as round ears to appeal to the imaginations of children.

 

I believe that James Proimos was extremely effective in bringing literary and artistic components together. Throughout the book, color selection, increase in the size of the words and the cartoon illustrations truly emphasized Sam’s loud persona.  Also, children having difficulty reading would be able to decipher the story from the pictures. This book appeals to both young and old and does a good job conveying the message that, it is ok to be surprised in a new environment and you can express yourself accordingly.

 

Other Sources:

Cullinan, Bernice, and Lee Galda. Literature and the Child. 5th ed. Wadsworth, 2002