★ 11/01/2021
A spare lyricism pervades this poetic picture book about writing by Hopkinson, which follows a light brown–skinned child attempting to pen a story on a snowy day. Arriving at a cottage with physical objects (“a pencil or two,/ a big eraser,/ your favorite pencil sharpener,/ and a snack”) and metaphysical attributes (“your mind and heart,/ your endless curiosity), the child shucks off their winter clothing and sits down in front of a window to write, a dog at their side. As the child experiences writing struggles (“nothing much happens”) and inspiration (“And that’s when you notice.../ ...the chickadee”), Hooper’s doodle-esque illustrations, rendered in pen, ink, and paint and finished digitally, show the process against ample white space. A gentle, luminous exploration for aspiring writers. Back matter features a guide for readers to begin their own stories, and a link to more information on black-capped chickadees. Ages 4–8. (Nov.)
★ "A spare lyricism pervades this poetic picture book about writing by Hopkinson. . . . A gentle, luminous exploration for aspiring writers."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
★ "[A] poetic narrative, with quiet, thoughtful illustrations. . . . Hopkinson’s words gently encourage readers to remember that this craft takes patience, but also how there is something remarkable about finding your unique voice. VERDICT A comforting read for anyone who writes . . . this book will ease young scribes into their next story."—School Library Journal, Starred Review
★ "Charming illustrations—made using pen, ink, and paint, and completed on Photoshop—are delightful to pore over."—Booklist, Starred Review
"Hopkinson’s story about a story, which closes with a writing . . . is genuinely inspiring, a tutorial on writer’s block that never patronizes the child readers at whom it’s aimed."—The Horn Book
"While the book is obviously targeted at aspiring writers, the message of persistence is applicable to the development of any skill. . . . Illustrations teem with texture and vibrant color. . . . an easy go-to for an early language arts lesson."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"An appropriate choice for a teacher, librarian, or educator introducing a creative writing unit. . . ."—Kirkus Reviews
★ 09/01/2021
K-Gr 4—This poetic narrative, with quiet, thoughtful illustrations, depicts a young boy in winter trying to find the right words to start a story. Voiced in the second person, the sequence of events will feel utterly familiar to writers of any age and especially reassuring to new, young ones as they watch how finding ideas takes time and focus. Uncluttered spaces between text lines and illustrated elements within the boy's room match the purposeful pauses from the task at hand: the boy gets a snack, reads other stories, and doodles as he waits for words to come.The white, gold, and blue-toned colors lightly infuse the careful, penned outlines of the spare walls, crumpled papers, and cheerful, pensive expressions flitting across the boy's face as he thinks. Inspiration strikes unexpectedly, as a small form flits outside the boy's snowy window, echoing how, little by little, authors' words can piece together a tale experienced or imagined from their own point of view. Hopkinson's words gently encourage readers to remember that this craft takes patience, but also how there is something remarkable about finding your unique voice. VERDICT A comforting read for anyone who writes and a precise, essential "hook" book for elementary writing lessons, this book will ease young scribes into their next story.—Rachel Mulligan, Westampton, NJ
2021-09-24
A child slowly blossoms into a writer.
Addressed by an adult’s second-person voice, “You,” a beige-skinned child with choppy black hair, in brown pants and a dark striped sweater, are trying to write a story. “You bring your heart and mind, your endless curiosity, and a deep longing to create, to write, to say something about the world—to tell a story.” Of course there’s writer’s block, distractions, and the grinding feeling of I-can’t-do-this, but after the child, still “you,” observes a chickadee patiently and painstakingly plucking individual seeds from a bird feeder, the idea of crafting a story one word at a time inspires the character to persevere. The didactic, inspirational, quiet tone makes this an appropriate choice for a teacher, librarian, or educator introducing a creative writing unit, but it’s not, sadly, an engaging tale for a wide audience of young readers. The bold use of you to refer to a very specific child, as well as a very particular kind of experience—a house with a bird feeder, snow outside, the desire to express oneself through writing—narrows rather than broadens the appeal, as some readers may bristle at being told untrue things about themselves. A page of prompts encouraging readers to write their own stories about a chickadee appears at the end along with a website about the bird. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Well crafted but of limited utility. (Picture book. 5-8)