Sometimes We Fall

by Randall de Sève, Kate Gardiner (Illustrator)

Overview

An uplifting story that offers a reassuring message about finding the courage to take a small risk—and the sweet reward that may follow.

Sometimes you want to eat a juicy red plum at the top of a tree, but it seems so hard. What if you start the climb and a strong wind blows and the tree shakes? What if it rains and you slip and FALL? But those sweet-smelling, juicy, ripe purple plums up there look so tasty, and best of all, Mama is waiting for you with words of encouragement. . . .

This tender picture book by New York Times bestselling author Randall de Sève, with illustrations by Kate Gardiner, is an empowering reminder that to fall and get back up again is the bravest, and sometimes most delicious, step of all.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593645505
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	08/06/2024
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	9.38(w) x 11.75(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Randall de Sève is the New York Times bestselling author of award-winning picture books that have been translated into many languages worldwide. Randall uses her years of being a teacher to explore issues that children deal with daily. All of her stories spring from real-life experiences, then take shape in her imagination.

Author Site: randalldeseve.com Social: @randallde

Kate Gardiner is a New England based illustrator. Kate often finds herself inspired by quiet scenes of nature, finding beauty in moments of rest. She aims to capture the calm of these moments through her illustrations, often gaining inspiration through her mixed heritage, as a member of the Chaubunagungamaug band of Nipmuck Indians as well as the traditions of her Polish roots.

Illustrator Site: kategardinerillustration.com Social: @kategardinerillustration

Editorial Reviews

★ 05/20/2024

A young bear literally looks up to its mother in this reassuring picture book about learning to take risks. A mother bear perches in a plum tree amid a field of golden, waving grasses, where her cub sits, longing for the delicious-looking plums above: “It’s a problem when you want a purple plum, too.” As the pages turn, de Sève (This Story Is Not About a Kitten) describes the plums with accumulating adjectives that hint at the cub’s desire for the “sweet-smelling, juicy, ripe purple fruit.” But as the cub contemplates joining Mama, it ruminates on possible perils: the leap upward could fall short, and the climb might result in scrapes, or even a tumble from the branches. Sanguine Mama doesn’t minimize the cub’s anxieties, reiterating the idea that “sometimes we wobble” and also that “it’s okay.” Finally, the cub climbs, reaches for a plum, and falls— Gardiner (Small Places, Close to Home) catches the endearingly ungraceful tumble in midair—but a plum drops, too, and one taste is motivation enough for the cub to dust off and try again. The spare text’s voices—Mama’s is soothing, the cub’s more apprehensive—honor the duo’s differing points of view, while gouache and colored pencil art with elegant shapes and subtle earth tones offer lovely, ongoing visual consolation and comfort. Ages 4–8. Agent (for author and illustrator): Steven Malk, Writers House. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

★ "What a lovely story of parenting and childhood, of paving the way without smoothing it. A meaningful and tender tale of learning through experience." —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ "[A] reassuring picture book about learning to take risks." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

From the Publisher

★ 2024-05-04
A mama and baby bear demonstrate the importance of trying despite the possibility of failure.

A mama bear is nestled high up in the branches of a tree, munching on a juicy purple plum. From below, the baby looks up at her longingly, worried about scratched paws and bumped noses; mostly, this little one is afraid of tumbling to the ground. Ultimately, the baby bear does fall, “which happens sometimes. And it’s okay.” Sound life truths. De Sève expertly depicts the mama bear as a loving caregiver who, with wisdom and encouragement, guides the baby bear from above, though she allows the little one the freedom to make mistakes and even get a bit roughed up along the way. And what follows is a tasty reward: The baby bear obtains its purple plum. Gardiner’s illustrations mirror the text’s soft elegance with a muted palette full of tans, lavenders, and deep browns. The bears are simply drawn but expressive. Feelings of longing and anxiety are palpable in a close-up of the baby bear’s face, its ears back as it begins to climb. What a lovely story of parenting and childhood, of paving the way without smoothing it.

A meaningful and tender tale of learning through experience. (Picture book. 3-5)

Kirkus Reviews