A young girl is proud to be called "big" until the day it is used to describe her in a way that dismisses all the great things about her until that is all she can hear: "big".
Harriosn's prose is simple but powerful as each page imparts the journey of the young protagonist as she realizes that being big is not the compliment it used to be. The beautiful brush illustrations guide the reader through the story and the emotional toll the term "big" takes on the young girl. On each page, the young girl becomes bigger and begins to take up more of the space. But as she takes up more space her expression becomes sadder and her personality becomes more subdued until she takes up all of the page in her sadness. The color of her tutu against the pinkness of the page really drives the emotional toll. One of the most beautiful pictures is the young girl on her side with her back to the reader, as young readers of color can appreciate the details of the richness of her skin and the sharpness of the parts in her hair. One of the other shining moments of the book is when the young girl realizes that she is more than her appearance and how others perceive that appearance. She takes up the pages that fold out within the book and begins to find her way out and to the realization of all that she is. This is a beautiful story for all ages. The young girl is a wonderful representation for young readers of color who often feel out of place or judged for who they are and for readers who may struggle with self-image and acceptance.
Book Information:
Harrison, V. (2023). BIG. New York: Litte, Brown and Company. ISBN 9780316353229
Great for a social-emotional lesson about how even innocent words can hurt.
What next?
Little Dreamers and Little Leaders is also written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison. You can also find her beautiful brushwork illustrations in Sulwe by Lupita Nyong'o.
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