Sometimes You Fly

February 15, 2018
This celebration of young people and the families that support them encourages persistence as children stumble through inevitable difficulties en route to triumph.The opening page shows an exhausted-looking mother baking in a messy kitchen while the text reads "Before the cake...." The reverse side of the page is wordless, simply presenting the image of a jubilant child's first birthday party, the guest of honor toddling along with cake-covered face and hands. The majority of the book follows this same pattern--a "before the" phrase paired with an image of struggle that accompanies the specific stage of life and a wordless, joyful illustration of the payoff on the verso. The book spans the milestones of childhood, from feeding oneself to first love and, eventually, graduation. The remaining few pages offer words of encouragement, reminding readers that failures and heartbreak are unavoidable but any setback can be an opportunity for growth. The humorous and emotionally evocative illustrations include culturally nonspecific characters with a variety of skin tones. The pages that depict a challenge are backgrounded by open, blank space, while the pages of success are fully illustrated, visually contrasting the feelings of frustration and isolation that can accompany the work of learning a new skill with the satisfaction of achievement. Exuberant and loving; sure to incite giggles from kids and teary smiles from adults and possibly to unseat Oh, the Places You'll Go! as a perennial graduation gift. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

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March 5, 2018
With a cast that ranges across the span of childhood, this book seems destined to be given at milestone moments. Each page turn contrasts “before” vignettes with wordless, triumphant “afters”—the result of learning, resilience, or maturity. The dinosaur fan who was too short to ride the “Dino-tastic” roller-coaster has, in the next scene, grown enough for the exhilarating ride, his hands flung high in the air. The girl who first looks at a book and sees only a mass of undecipherable markings becomes the kind of reader who can’t put down a book even after lights out. Reinhardt’s watercolor-and-ink portraits have a marvelous specificity that invites readers to connect more deeply with the diverse characters as they struggle, grow, and “sometimes... fly.” Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Elena Giovinazzo, Pippin Properties; illustrator’s agent, Marietta B. Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency.

June 1, 2018

Gr 3 Up-Several developmental events from infancy to adulthood demonstrate that repeated efforts and even failures can lead to eventual success. The scenarios follow a pattern beginning with "before the..." placed on white ground above a picture of an unsuccessful effort, while the colorful reverse wordless page reveals the joyful exuberance of victory. For example, "before the seas..." depicts a small boy clad in water wings, arms crossed, head averted as he refuses to venture into a wading pool. The verso shows him confidently facing rolling ocean waves. Learning to drive, finding a soul mate, and graduation are among the other milestones represented. The illustrations, executed in ink and watercolor, are filled with humor. A bedraggled mom, hair askew, ingredients spilling over and even onto her baby's head, struggles to learn to bake. The following page reveals a lovely birthday cake with the guest of honor toddling happily across the floor. A driver's ed car carries the warning, "Beware! Student Driver" followed by a view of that driver enjoying a solo road trip. Reinhardt's scenes are inclusive of different families. The author concludes with some pages of advice and, most important, "What matters most is what you take from all you learn." VERDICT An excellent choice for solo or group sharing and a natural for commemorating a graduation or other milestone.-Marianne Saccardi, Children's Literature Consultant, Cambridge, MA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 1, 2017
Preschool-G *Starred Review* Humorous ink-and-watercolor illustrations of before and after scenes depict many of life's potential hurdles. Beginning with Before the cake . . . a red-faced baby sits wailing on the kitchen floor while her frazzled mother frantically mixes up ingredients for a special dessert. In the next scene, the same child beams happily upon taking her close-to-first steps on chocolate-covered feet, after eating from a birthday cake that prominently displays a large number 1. Each situation starts with a three-word phrase beginning with before, and upon turning the page, readers view a wordless scene of after. The varied incidents call for sympathy or celebration as the culturally diverse children experience the good and the bad that are part of maturing. Endearing vignettes clearly show the confusion, determination, concentration, and exaltation on the youngsters' faces. The children grow, take on new challenges, and learn by celebrating successes and dealing with mistakes on their way to becoming adults. Told in rhyming couplets and ending with the same baby who started it all, this charming and engaging celebration of life is a must-read and a must-have. A natural successor to Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places You'll Go! that deals with navigating life's ups and downs.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)