Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
A paper-white child with two long black pigtails looks back on a moment when "everyone was inside." The scenario unfurls with fitting details: "Who was inside? I was inside. I was inside my room with a clock and my dog and a picture of Nan." "Inside" also refers to emotional states: "There were days I felt sad inside," the narrator says, curled up in a chair while weary parents seem to take in news in another room. But the child also feels resilience and love through it all, and confident in the arrival of a joyful day when "everyone would be outside." Joyner (Bunny Figures It Out) punctuates slice-of-life b&w drawings with bright hues that echo those of the protagonist's bedroom quilt; blocks of color that highlight a class meeting online and a cityscape at night, for example, nod to the blanket's pattern. The Covid-19 pandemic is never specifically referenced, and Joyner is careful when using verb tenses--victory is never declared. Deeply empathic and upbeat, this picture book should provide comfort, no matter what the latest news is, with a final page that prompts readers to think about their own "inside" stories. Ages 4--8. Agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Productions. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--Without mentioning the pandemic, Joyner presents the quintessential book about what we'll all take away from it. A small girl, who is white, lives in an apartment with her parents, and she is inside. Class is inside (on a computer screen), and her grandmother is inside (from her home, on a video call), and all of life is inside. The girl dreams of the day when the streets will be busy again, when she'll go have pizza with Nan, and see the throngs of people in the street, but for now, she is inside, where there is love. It's a simple conceit, and says it all for the many readers who have also been inside; Joyner doesn't bother with explanations of how we came inside or what it takes to be outside again. It simply expresses, in a positive way and ebullient line drawings, what nesting and being home has meant; the book is ripe for families or classrooms to share and discuss. VERDICT The pandemic shelf is still lightly populated; here's a title that presents what's happening in an upbeat, quietly joyful way.--Kimberly Olson Fakih
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Review by Horn Book Review
"Who was inside? // I was inside." Without specifically mentioning COVID-19, a young white girl discusses what her life is like during the early days of the pandemic: "I was inside my room with a clock and my dog and a picture of Nan... // Everyone was inside." In addition to the ways she stays connected with others, she addresses the tedium, the uncertainty, and her hopes about returning to normal. Joyner's digitally rendered illustrations help convey the main character's moods. Bright pops of color enliven the black line drawings; the scene is muted when "...I felt sad inside." Overall, the message is a positive one, which, two years in, is still needed. (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
