A wonderful circular journey through full of beautiful illustrations and deep lessons.
Recommended for age
0 +
Editor rating:
☆☆☆☆☆5/5
Positive Messages
10/10
Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
/10
Intimacy
/10
Violence
/10
Profanity
/10
Positive Role Models
5/10
Year:
2009
Genre:
Picture Book
Author:
Liz Garton Scanlon
Medium:
Amazon
Synopsis: The timeless simple and profound tale highlights some of life's, at times ironic, contrasts before returning to the family, along with the small things that bind us to one another and our superior humanity. All the world weaves through he day through beautiful rhyming words and illustrations. It summarises that all the world is here, there and right where you are.
Parents should be aware that this Caldecott Honor book from 2010 has an award-winning message to go along with its dramatic artwork. The book has fabulous illustrations and is full of little details. Moreover, this book demonstrates the significance of all things small and great in our world, from the smallest shell on the beach to warm family connections to the broad sunset sky, by following a circle of friends and family through the course of a day from dawn to dusk. Caldecott Honor winner Marla Frazee adds an intricate sensitivity and depth to this book's pages with rows of black Prisma coloring that sweep across thriving water-colored scenes. Her busy yet contented paintings, which range from small scenes to detailed 2-page spreads, not only convey the loving sentiment as well as the rhythm but, also broaden its narrative in a way that children will enjoy.
The storyline
Two kids are digging at the beach before the book expands to involve a much greater deeper world and a diverse group of loved ones. As the day continues, their lives intertwine, taking the story from the beach towards the farmers market, then to fields, parks, gardens, churches, restaurants, cafes, and back to their various homes. The whole family, including moms, dad, grandparents, siblings, and cousins, meet and sit together in the evening. Finally, the little girl smiles as she realizes that "everything connects, and everything is you and us... the entire world is all of us."
How good is it?
This book will appeal to both children and parents because it celebrates the connections between everything: rocks, sand, stars, sky, trees, vegetable fields, people of all kinds, storms, rain, music, old and new, and the list goes on. The poem's words are rhythmic and predictable but unique enough to make the story entertaining and fresh for kids. The visual examples give the tale a soothing depth. The subtle singsong of the poetry and the empathetic artwork combine to create an emotion that is both endearing and peaceful. In addition, this is an incredible book that croons to the deepest parts of your soul and handles to completely engross you, whether you intend to be engrossed or not. Perhaps you started it to amuse a friend or see what all the fuss was about, but you probably cried without realizing it by the time you got to the end. You probably realized about halfway through that Marla Frazee's drawings were moving through a specific (fictional, as it turns out) landscape, and you wanted to come back and look at it again to see how the "camera" moved along.
