You Rule!

Starred review from April 24, 2023
What if one could easily measure traditionally unquantifiable thoughts and feelings? Alexander’s got it covered in this boldly colored picture book, which spurs readers to explore emotional nuance around concepts including how much one knows and how much one can do. On each spread, an open-ended question appears for readers to ponder alongside a blue-nosed child protagonist portrayed with brown skin, a perky blue pup, and a helpful green caterpillar. As the figures interact on each page, a range of potential answers appears alongside the query, like a deftly organized word cloud. In a scene asking “How happy are you?” the trio of characters travel down a grassy hill, the child on a bike, with words and phrases beneath their feet ranging from “down in the dumps” to “walking on air.” An additional visual story unfolds as the caterpillar becomes a chrysalis and then a butterfly, and a yellow feline with black stripes—mimicking the unit ticks on a ruler—joins the team. A solid model for naming feelings, this enthusiastic read offers up inspiration perfect for those taking stock. Ages 3–5.

July 1, 2023
In this deceptively simple book, a (mostly offstage) grownup poses a series of questions to a child; each query has a surprising range of suggested answers. The illustration accompanying the first question -- "How ready are you?" -- shows the child clutching a ruler signaling that measuring is to come (and rulers are incorporated in other spreads), but these aren't your typical growth charts. The eleven replies run the gamut from "not at all" to "on my way" to "rarin' to go," and the font size of each answer indicates the level of enthusiasm of the response. In the beginning, the questions are straightforward: "How big are you?" ("microscopic," "growing like a mushroom"); "How fast are you?" ("as slow as a tired turtle," "meteoric"). As the book progresses, the questions turn more contemplative and less quantifiable: "How happy are you?" ("out of sorts," "walking on air"); "How much do you have?" ("zilch," "more than I need"). The eye-catching, geometric illustrations feature a limited palette of bold colors, simple shapes, and graphically pleasing compositions, in which the energetic child (with brown skin and a mass of black hair), a blue dog, a caterpillar, and a tiger play out their own story. The questions lead to a sweet final one: "How much do I love you?" The child and pals (the caterpillar has gone from chrysalis to butterfly) dash to the light-skinned grownup, shown on the final spread with arms open wide, answering the question with an enthusiastic "Immeasurably!" This book cleverly expands young listeners' and readers' emotional vocabulary and offers many opportunities for cross-curricular activities. Kitty Flynn

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from February 1, 2023
Who knew you could measure almost anything? Kids have probably learned or observed that measuring instruments--e.g., rulers, tape--determine how long or tall items are, and they likely know that such implements rely on numbers. But how do we measure intangibles like ideas or feelings? This picture book demonstrates how to do so. Each page presents a question and a striking, cartoonlike illustration, often with a tape-measure motif. One page states, "How big are you?" The image depicts an adult measuring a brown-skinned child's height against a wall along with words and phrases such as microscopic, sprouting, giant, towering, and sky-high. Fonts in which measuring words/phrases are set on pages throughout vary, and some are boldfaced. Often, responses cavort playfully on pages so readers have to turn the book--or their heads!--to read text, as is the case with the question "How strong are you?" for which answers appear on a rope with which the child plays tug of war with a dog. Other questions include "How kind are you?" and "How much do you know?" The best is saved for last: "How much do I love you?" The answer, from a tan-skinned caregiver, in boldfaced capital letters: "IMMEASURABLY!" This unique, clever offering will enhance visual literacy and help readers develop vocabulary. (This book was reviewed digitally.) How do you measure a terrific, winning book? By the learning and smiles it will surely generate. (Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2023
In this deceptively simple book, a (mostly offstage) grownup poses a series of questions to a child; each query has a surprising range of suggested answers. The illustration accompanying the first question -- "How ready are you?" -- shows the child clutching a ruler signaling that measuring is to come (and rulers are incorporated in other spreads), but these aren't your typical growth charts. The eleven replies run the gamut from "not at all" to "on my way" to "rarin' to go," and the font size of each answer indicates the level of enthusiasm of the response. In the beginning, the questions are straightforward: "How big are you?" ("microscopic," "growing like a mushroom"); "How fast are you?" ("as slow as a tired turtle," "meteoric"). As the book progresses, the questions turn more contemplative and less quantifiable: "How happy are you?" ("out of sorts," "walking on air"); "How much do you have?" ("zilch," "more than I need"). The eye-catching, geometric illustrations feature a limited palette of bold colors, simple shapes, and graphically pleasing compositions, in which the energetic child (with brown skin and a mass of black hair), a blue dog, a caterpillar, and a tiger play out their own story. The questions lead to a sweet final one: "How much do I love you?" The child and pals (the caterpillar has gone from chrysalis to butterfly) dash to the light-skinned grownup, shown on the final spread with arms open wide, answering the question with an enthusiastic "Immeasurably!" This book cleverly expands young listeners' and readers' emotional vocabulary and offers many opportunities for cross-curricular activities.

(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)