Big Bear Little Chair

August 15, 2015
Examples of "big," "little," and "tiny" produce unexpected juxtapositions. Opening with "Big Bear / little chair," the lean text introduces a series of seemingly unrelated pairings of "big" and "little," such as a big plant and a little cocoon, a big bird and a little umbrella, a big zebra and a little broom. A second series of "big" and "little" pairings begins with "Big Chair / little bear" and includes a big owl on a little branch, a big meadow with a little salamander, a big lion with a little wagon. Both big and little bear return for the final series, where a "tiny" element's added to the "big" and "little" combinations: a big mouse, a little bus, and a tiny driver; a big ladder, a little turtle, and a tiny book. Font changes, trim, and illustrations reinforce the textual focus on size. The tall, skinny format alerts readers to expect the unexpected, while large, small, and tiny font sizes mirror the text. Stylized illustrations rely on subdued blacks, grays, and whites with pops of bright red, along with flat patterns, repetitive lines, and lots of whimsy, to illuminate each distinctive visual vignette. The absence of any obvious rationale (other than size) linking these vignettes invites readers (big, little, and tiny) to imagine their own connections. A beautiful and creative exploration of size and relativity. (Picture book. 3-7)

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Starred review from November 1, 2015

PreS-Gr 1-In this dynamic visual journey, opposites in size receive a striking comparison, though only a few brief words pepper each page. Boyd uses blacks, whites, and grays, and splashes of red to emphasize visual details. Each examination highlights two items of contrasting proportions with a rolling rhythm, such as "big zebra/little broom/big rock/little butterfly/big elephant/little trick/big moon/little star." References to the bear and chair repeatedly highlight this animal and object in various proportions throughout the pages. Succinct phrases seamlessly blend into a series of connected pairings within these engaging interactions. Distinctive gouache illustrations successfully serve this dynamic medium and accentuate each description. Rounded figures capture a gentle quietness. The final spread illuminates all the various pairings along the way with the declarative statement "Big bear/little bear/tiny stories...everywhere!" and encompasses all the previously highlighted characters. VERDICT Opposites receive a fresh interpretation in this stylish selection.-Meg Smith, Cumberland County Public Library, Fayetteville, NC

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