The Little Book of Big What-Ifs

March 1, 2019
An unseen narrator suggests a wide range of what-ifs, each playing out in a single scene among a group of animals.Liwska's animal group includes bears, mice, elephants, and more, but because they're all drawn in the same range of browns and grays, with similar curved pencil hatchings for fur/skin, and closer to the same size than realism would dictate, they feel like a tightknit community. When one is depicted calling out a window to oblivious figures who are all wearing earbuds, the text--"What if no one could hear you?"--is truly upsetting. Some of the what-ifs pair as unsettling opposites: Across from "What if no one could hear you?" sits "What if everyone could?" as the same character vainly trying to attract attention before is now seen snoring in public. Many hypotheticals are tenderly humorous. "What if there was only one kind?"--and all tea was banana-flavored? What if a seed doesn't grow--or does, but a bespectacled burrowing animal snaps off the carrot underground and eats it? Soft pencil drawings in a muted palette bring comfort to moments of concern. However, there's an unexpected prescriptive turn. Moving from musings on vulnerability to ponderings such as "What if we all work together?" and "What if everyone shared?" the text shifts into banal hypotheticals that even the youngest readers will recognize as instructions. Nothing wrong with activism, but this is a bait-and-switch.It feels fresh at the start, but it fizzles out. (Picture book. 4-7)

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May 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 2-Liwska places her cast of endearing animal characters in a variety of scenarios that encourage readers to contemplate various "what if" situations. The open-ended queries and tender, soft-edged artwork operate in tandem to depict familiar circumstances with whimsical, imagination-stirring possibilities. "What if you slept through your birthday?" is paired with a wintery illustration of a bear dozing in a tree trunk alcove; visiting animals, toting a cake and gifts, are nonetheless determined to celebrate their sleeping friend's big day. Some of the progressions are playful: "What if there is only one way?" (a parachute-wearing elephant is about to step off a plane) is followed by "What if there is only one kind?" (a shop that serves only banana tea) and "What if there are way too many?" (a crowd of critters impatiently wait for an indecisive mouse to select an ice cream flavor). Other scenes encourage mindfulness ("What if you make the time?"), self-discovery ("What if you go off the beaten path?"), and cooperation ("What if we all work together?"). Ultimately, acts of kindness spread among this community of charismatic critters (the birthday party providers return in warm weather to again honor the now-awake bear) and their actions make a difference in the world. While there is not much story here, the book can open discussion about the infinite possibilities presented by life, the power to make individual choices, and how children can begin to chart their way through each and every day. VERDICT A sweet and thoughtful selection for individual and small group sharing. -Joy Fleishhacker, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs

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