:Pre-1970 children’s book about a black boy, possibly named Johnny (johnny-o?). Illustrated in a caricature style, light colors on black background. Almost abstract and dream-like.
The subject matter of the book had to do with food, possibly pancakes. I vaguely recall someone or something ‘rolling’
There are several books about a “Runaway Pancake” including a Whitman version, but the illustrations are all of white children. Little Black Sambo has part at the end where he is eating stacks of pancakes. Could you be conflating the two books?
Possibly Ruth Sawyer: Journey Cake, Ho! – though Johnny in the story is white.
I remember a similar book, “Journey Cake, Ho!” by Ruth Sawyer (1953) the figures were white and colors on a blue background, but the boy, Johnny, was white; he was barefoot and dressed in “country hick” style in jeans and a raggy shirt, other than that it does sound similar. The pancake was called a “Journey Cake”, and naturally leaps out of the frying pan and rolls down the road, taunting everyone that it can’t be caught. Johnny, his family, and several animals chase it until it finally falls down, whereupon his mother decides to call it a “Johnny Cake” from then on.
It was done in a goofy sort of realism, the pancake with a face, the animals on two legs, etc. Hope this helps.
I think I am indeed conflating 2 books.
After searching google images, I found the book ‘Journey Cake, Ho!’, which is definitely the story I was trying to remember. But there is another book in question that escapes me.
The artwork in Journey Cake is similar to the second book for sure, but not quite the same. The unknown book was definitely about a black boy, but not Sambo. The closest comparison I can find as far as the illustration goes, resembles Picasso’s “Old Guitarist” painting. Exaggerated poses, almost stretched in appearance.
Long shot, but could you be thinking of Sara Cone Bryant’s “Epiminondas And His Auntie”? The pictures were simple, a bit primitive, of the little black boy and his mama and auntie out in the country, and how he kept making mistakes bringing things home (such as dragging a loaf of bread down the road on a string). It’s a classic folk tale, like the Johnny Cake book, the pictures are simple black and grey on a white background. Hope this helps.