Review by Booklist Review
Elijah, a young Black child, looks out the window. Time passes slowly, but finally Dad comes home. "Yay!" calls Elijah. "Waaah!" cries the baby, awakened by her brother. Dad explains to Elijah that a baby in the house means extra work. He asks Elijah to be his "little big man," saying, "Sometimes you have to work hard before you can play hard." The next day, Elijah follows his father's lead. The big man and his little big man work hard, building and repairing things for others in their family and their neighborhood. Afterwards, they clean up their messes and feel proud. Elijah gives Dad the kite he has made for him, and they practice flying kites happily together. Kids can learn useful lessons from the story, but the most challenging one (and potentially the most rewarding) is for parents: how to be a role model for children. The story is well paced and engaging for young kids, and the colorful illustrations sensitively portray the characters' emotions through body language and facial expressions. A rewarding picture book.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Johnson (Twins) and Brown (Bros) encapsulate the tension of being both a young child and an older sibling in this well-intentioned story about family responsibility. When Elijah welcomes his father home after a long day of waiting, the child is eager to take his new kite for a spin. But Elijah's father has to cancel their weekend plans ("A new baby means extra work for everyone"), and he asks Elijah for help: "Think you can be my little big man tomorrow?" Elijah agrees, but a day without running, jumping, or yelling doesn't sound like much fun, and the child's best attempts all evening result in more messes than successes, rendered in onomatopoeic prose. Elijah does his best the next day as images show father and son taking on parallel work roles in different places: "They didn't give up. They helped others. They cleaned up when they made a mess," even if "being big was hard work." And after Dad's return, the whole family goes outside to play, flying a kite Elijah painstakingly constructed--an act that offers a balance and reliability of its own. Characters read as Black. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Sara Crowe, Pippin Properties. Illustrator's agent: Christy Ewers, CAT Agency. (May)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Now that there's a newborn in the house, carefree days are few and far between, but a young boy comes up with an idea to make life a little easier. As Mama holds baby Lily, Elijah eagerly waits for Daddy to come home so the two can enjoy a weekend of flying his new kite. Unfortunately, Daddy has other plans. "A new baby means extra work for everyone," father tells son, and Elijah recognizes immediately that he's being asked to step up in ways that won't necessarily be fun but that are needed by the family. He tries his hardest to follow his dad's lead, but he stumbles more often than not while assisting in the kitchen and cleaning up after himself. Bright digital illustrations, paired with exuberant, onomatopoeia-filled text, depict a loving and tight-knit Black family with a lot on their plates despite a barrel-chested handyman of a dad, an attentive and affectionate mom, a vocal newborn, and a considerate young son. When Elijah decides one day to work even harder for his family, he follows Daddy's lead. Father and son assist others, tidy up messes, and look on with pride at all they've accomplished, with Elijah's body language hilariously, and endearingly, mirroring Daddy's in several scenes. Finally, Elijah presents Daddy with a flight-ready green kite and a much-needed lesson about taking the time to cut loose. Big responsibilities and small gestures paint a thoughtful picture of masculinity.(Picture book. 4-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
