Toddler. Great pathos in the images of the animal faces. Awwwww. ( )

I really like this story for several reasons. The big idea is that everyone wants to be something they’re not, but people need to learn to love themselves the way they are. This is shown when a boy who is little wants to be big, but realizes there are also drawbacks to being big and he becomes grateful for his size. The language is very simple, but engaging. A lot of children are teased from a young age for being too little, so the main character is relatable and realistic. The message of this book is too embrace your size and self-image, which is an important concept for children to learn from a young age. The word “big” is written in a larger font and bold every time it is used, which is a helpful text feature for emergent readers. The illustrations are very detailed and the pictures of both the people and animals in the story accurately show their emotions. They also have dramatic size ratios for effect. For example, they show the little boy next to a very tall giraffe and the little boy in the palm of a gorilla’s hand. There are only a few words on every page, and some pages only have pictures. This is a good way to keep younger children engaged in the story. This book is meant for kindergarten and first grade students, but would probably be too simple for the ordinary first grader. However, this book would be incredibly helpful for young EL students because of its simplicity, repetitiveness, text features, and illustrations. This book has a great message to offer and presents it in a creative way, so I would recommend it for an early elementary school classroom. ( )

This picture book is about a little boy who wants to be as big as his brother. The illustrations are absolutely charming, and I like the sentiment of the story, but I don't think it's as clear as it could be at the point where the little brother chases his brother back. ( )

My class of 3- to 5-year-olds really enjoyed this book. They liked the pictures of the animals, and especially liked the idea that there are good things about being little. It did take a little extra explaining on the first read-through, but it was worth it.

I received an Advanced Copy of this book in exchange for this review.

My daughter and I LOVED Little Big Book. Loved loved loved it. When I received it in ARC format (looseleaf paper as a predecessor to hardback) I thought the book might be too young for a 5.5 year old. Boy was I wrong. The book is about a little toddler child who compares himself to his big brother and large animals. The format is great - only a few lines each page, and the illustration stretches across both pages. The little boy states "..If I had BIG LEGS like a giraffe, I could race my brother up the hill..and win." The next page states what he COULD NOT do if he were a giraffe. And on, and on. Finally, the little boy comes to terms with being little and is happy.

This is a great book for many reasons: The art, the simple text, a book my 5 year old could try to read, pictures that are so funny you want to giggle at them, and a happy ending. If you are looking for a great gift book, or a book for a smaller than average child, this could be the book for you. Highly recommended. ( )