Little Juniper Makes It Big, written and illustrated by Aidan Cassie. Farrar Straus Giroux, Macmillan. Raincoast. $23.50 ages 4 and up

"At bedtime she couldn't
concentrate on her book.
For my whole entire life, 
everything's been too big 
for me, she thought.

movie seats
pianos
sinks
doorknobs
car seats"

I guarantee that any young listener will want to stop and talk about the end papers. The front one shows a tiny raccoon struggling in a variety of situations that will be familiar to many of them. Finding ways to get at the cookie jar is a right of passage for toddlers. Juniper's ingenious and tenacious attempts will definitely grab attention before the reading begins. The one in the back is filled with the satisfaction for what she has learned along the way.

A stool is her constant companion. The result of using it in the bathroom ensures a quick smile and a touch of empathy for her plight. She wants to be bigger; her mother assures her that she will grow; there are no quick results. Patience is definitely an asset. She never tires of trying to find a solution to her problem.

The problem is alleviated during school days, where she is of average height. Her new friend Clove, a flying squirrel, takes the prize for being smallest. Juniper quickly discovers that being small does not deter Clove from performing amazing feats. A sleepover at Clove's house is welcomed, and turns out to be a real eye-opener for Juniper. Being 'too big' can also be a problem. The visit puts things in perspective for the young kit.

This is a terrific book for reading aloud. The artwork is energetic, humorous, and a perfect match to the very enjoyable storytelling. Kids are sure to see themselves in some of the action, and certainly in much of the wishing to be different than they are at a particular time.                                                                           

I Am Small, written and illustrated by Qin Leng. Kids Can Press, 2018. $18.99 ages 4 and up

"Being small really bugs me.
When will I grow big enough
to take up as much space in the
world as everyone else?

My feet barely reach the edge
of the seat on the bus. I bounce
all over the place on the way to
school.

At Olivia's bakery, I can't ... "

Have I told you in previous posts how much I love Qin Leng's work? Of course, I have. Some of my favorite books for little ones have been illustrated in her inimitable style, always with warmth and charm. In this first book where she has done both words and pictures (I think!), she tackles the difficulty that comes with feeling ignored.

Mimi does not like being the small one in the family. Everyone is taller, even the dog. Same thing at school and on the city sidewalk. No matter where Mimi goes, small is the name of the game. Sure that there is no upside, Mimi is reminded by others that being small affords some pretty cool advantages.

"Why are you complaining?" Remy
asked me the other day. "You're always
first in the cafeteria line and you get
the biggest piece of cake."

Other proof is offered - squeezing into the smallest hiding spots, front row for all class photos, secret and comfortable spaces. For Mimi, none of the arguments outweigh the fact that many things are beyond reach. Well, there might be a few good things!

"Like snuggling in bed between Mommy and Daddy ...
Or playing Knights with Gus ...
Or practicing for the synchronized swimming
championship in the bathtub (my pretend pool)."

A surprise at home after school one day has lasting effects for Mimi and the family.

I appreciate the first person narrative. Kids will surely feel empathy for those issues that bother Mimi, as her telling is so personal. Lots of white space in the pen, ink, and watercolor artwork keep Mimi in focus throughout the telling. There are so many delightful details that allow a close look at family, the family home, the community, even school life. When the perspective changes for Mimi, she has some heartwarming advice to give.

Bigger! Bigger! By Leslie Patricelli. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2018. $21.99 ages 2 and up

"Build.

Big.

Bigger! Bigger!

Bigger!

Bigger!"

Is this a theme? It's wonderful to have received two books about building with blocks on two consecutive days. Here's the second one. My granddaughters love this little pig-tailed girl whose love of life and learning is so evident in the books Leslie Patricelli has written with her as the main character.

She's keen. We can tell by the determined look she gives as she pushes the block box to where she wants to dump them out. And then, they are on the floor, and she is ready for big doings. Her cat and dog are interested observers. She's got the idea, and moves from house to yard. As she does so, fantasy kicks in and we watch as she builds first a dog house (in the style of her first block construction), then a family home, a manor, a road, a bridge, a multi-story building, and a series of skyscrapers. Each one is bigger than the last, and the text shows the progress made. Big, Bigger, Biggest! Then, BOOM! BOOM!

From behind the row of skyscrapers a giant baby emerges - and the little girl is returned to reality. Her baby brother is bent on a crash course in destruction, leaving his sister bereft. Well, both are sad. A solution presents itself in the concept STRONGER! All is well.

Kids who know Ms. Patricelli's board books for toddlers will surely recognize that baby and understand the chaos created. Appealing thick outlines focus attention on the events of this story that celebrates learning through play, imagination and compromise. Simple text, bold color and textured artwork make it a great read aloud for story time with little ones.

If you have not yet seen Higher! Higher! or Faster! Faster! check for them at the public library.

Petra, by Marianna Coppo. Tundra, Random House. 2018. $21.00 ages 4 and up

"Nothing can move me.

Not the wind.

Not time.

I don't go anywhere.

Everyone comes to me."

Just exactly what is Petra? Little ones will take great pleasure in trying to guess her identity. By watching the artwork, and hearing what she says about herself, the guesses might be even be wide-ranging. Cold, wet weather doesn't bother her, so long as she has her scarf. It appears she lived at the time of the dinosaurs. She even seems to have a small village perched atop her head. What is she?

She finally shares with her audience:

"I am strong.

I'm a fearsome, fearless,

mighty, magnificent mountain!"

True?

A series of wordless pages offers a different perspective. Will her confidence be compromised?  No! She just rewrites her own story, again and then again. Never losing her certainty that she is something very special, Petra teaches a lesson that should sit well with each one of us.

We are what we are, and we should be happy with what change brings.

The story is carefully constructed in language sure to appeal to our youngest readers. Petra embodies adaptation, always with grace and charm.  Ms. Coppo uses tempera, pastels and digital collage to create the emotional twists and turns in her story, always with slight changes in expression and eye movement. White space ensures that little ones understand the changes in size that occur, almost by magic.

Joyful and uplifting, this is a book that needs to be read out loud ... loud and proud. I can't wait to share it!
                                                                         

Big Bear, little chair, written and illustrated by Lizi Boyd. Chronicle Books, Raincoast. 2015. $23.99 ages 3 and up

"Big Plant

little cocoon

little umbrella

Big Bird

Big Zebra

little broom

little butterfly

Big Rock"

Lizi Boyd, as she has done before, captivates her audience in this newest book that considers opposites in unusual ways. The word pair, little and big, focuses her readers on the concept of size of objects in relation to one another.

There are four distinct sections. First is Big Bear little chair, the second Big Chair little bear, and the third returns to Big Bear little chair - this section includes the addition of the word 'tiny'. The final two pages are the culmination of everything has come before this point in the book.

While the text is simple, the concept itself looms large with the addition of Ms. Boyd's brilliant and creative gouache illustrations. The book's  design is so attractive and perfect for little hands, leaving a lasting image when young children think on the concept of size. Changes in font to describe what they are seeing helps them when considering the unique stories being told in its art. The thin, seemingly tall, book assures that it is unique in its presentation. The illustrations are mostly black, gray and white, with bursts of red. They allow children to look closely and use their imaginations to determine the stories being told.

"Big bear
little bear
tiny stories ...
everywhere!"

Lizi Boyd is a master storyteller and a marvelous artist. This book proves it one more time! Every time you share it you will find something new. Enjoy!