Big or Little? (Board Book edition), by Kathy Stinson (illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell)

Kathy Stinson's (Red is Best, The Man With the Violin) new book, Big or Little? is about an experience that every parent of a toddler or preschooler can relate to: your child feels (and behaves) like a big kid some of the time, but also feels (and is treated) like a little kid other times.

Helping in the garden makes him feel big. Being able to reach the elevator button makes her feel big. But then she has to go to bed when she's not even tired, or he tries putting on a shirt and the sleeves end up in all the wrong places, and it's back to feeling small.

It's the constant struggle of being a toddler (as The Honest Toddler will attest).

I say that parents will relate to it, but I can't guarantee that kids will admit to it (even though these are things they go through ALL THE TIME). When I read it to Magda I asked what things made her feel big or little. She said, "I'm four, Mommy. I'm BIG. FOUR IS BIG, Mommy." She probably just didn't want to admit to anything, in case it was a trick question to get her to take a nap when she wasn't tired.

BOOK DETAILS:
Big or Little?
Author: Kathy Stinson
Illustration: Jennifer A. Bell
Publisher: Annick Press
Publication Date: January 9, 2014 (Boardbook edition)
(Originally published March 1, 1983, by Annick)
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Source: NetGalley

MENTIONED IN THIS REVIEW:

The Honest Toddler
(my review)

Red is Best

The Man With the Violin
(my review)

The Man With the Violin, by Kathy Stinson (illustrated by Dušan Petričić)

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Source: NetGalley



The Man with the Violin
Author: Kathy Stinson
Illustrator: Dušan Petričić
Postscript by Joshua Bell
Publisher: Annick Press
Publication Date: July 4, 2013

What a beautiful story about a real life event. Renowned American violinist Joshua Bell took to the subways of Washington, D.C., to give a free concert. Although hundreds of commuters rushed by him, none stopped to listen. Bell later noted that there were several children who strained to hear the music from his violin but were pulled along by busy parents intent on catching their trains. This book, illustrated by the incomparable Dušan Petričić (illustrator of the anniversary edition of Robert Munsch's Mud Puddle and--one of my favourites--Andrew Larsen's In the Tree House) perfectly captures both the story of that day and the music that inspired it. The drawings almost dance off the page.

I read this to my daughter Magda, who was a bit annoyed by the book because she knows all too well the frustration of being pulled away by busy parents when she's trying to enjoy something interesting. So I think it brought up old wounds for her. Alas.